


Passengers

by zolawinters



Category: Orphan Black (TV), cophine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, Angst, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Lesbians in Space, Orphan Black - Freeform, cophine - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-11-22 12:16:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11379999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zolawinters/pseuds/zolawinters
Summary: COPHINE VERSION OF THE FILM PASSANGERS (2016) - On a routine journey through space to a new home, Cosima, sleeping in suspended animation, is awakened 90 years too early when the ship malfunctions. After a year of being alone Cosima makes a drastic decision, and Delphine awakens. As Cosima and Delphine face living the rest of their lives on board, with every luxury they could ever ask for, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction, until they discover the ship is in grave danger. With the lives of 5,000 sleeping passengers at stake, can Cosima and Delphine can save them all.





	1. Awakened 1

Cosima’s eyes felt heavier than they have ever been before in her life. She put in all her effort to squeeze them open, but it was so bright she was almost blinded.

“Good morning, Cosima. How are you feeling?” a robotic voice says.

Wait. What? She thought.

“It's perfectly normal to feel confused. You just spent 120 years in suspended animation.”

What? Cosima couldn’t comprehend what was going on. She had absolutely no clue where she was or how on earth she had got there. Cosima attempted to open her eyes again and this time was successful. She was in a huge room, full of thousands of pods of sleeping passengers. Each one connected to a central machine. The room seemed to go on for ever, with row after row of pod repeating. She couldn’t comprehend what was going on.

“It's okay, Cosima. Just breathe. Everything is okay.” A holographic 3D female face was staring out at her from a screen. Talking to her. She knew her name. What was going on?

“Where am I?” Cosima asked.

“You're a passenger on the Starship Avalon, the Homestead Company's premier interstellar starliner. We've nearly completed the voyage from Earth to your new home. The colony world of Homestead II. A new world. A fresh start. Room to grow.”

“Yeah.” That’s right, Cosima was beginning to remember now, her brain had started working again.

“The Avalon is on final approach. For the next four months, you'll enjoy space travel at its most luxurious. Food. Fun. Friends.”

“My friends.” She said, she laughed in her head. None of her friends had joined her on this trip. She was the only one who wasn’t married with kids. She was the only one with nothing to live for on earth, so why not start a new life on a new planet. Not only a completely fresh start, but also an opportunity to colonise a new planet, and study the complex biology that quite literally nobody else would have done before.

“That's right, Cosima. The ID band on your wrist is your key to the wonders of the Avalon. You're in perfect health, Cosima. Let's get you to your cabin, where you can get some rest.”

Cosima’s pod had pushed her up so she was now standing up. She walked forward having no idea where to go, yet white lights on the floor quidded her out of the massive room full of pods and into a seemingly endless white corridor. Doors lined alternating sides of the corridor, each with their own number on.

After a few minutes of walking Cosima felt extremely sick. She felt burning hot and but also freezing at the same time. Her stomach felt like it was on a roller coaster but she wasn’t quite at the stage of vomiting yet. Her vision was starting to go blurry around the edges. What was wrong with her. This wasn’t the luxurious space travel she had been promised. Surely feeling like death wasn’t normal.

“You may be experiencing post-hibernation sickness. Your door will illuminate for you.”

A door labelled 324 lit up blue, and as Cosima walked passed the doors slid open.

“Welcome to your cabin, your home until we make landfall. Over the next four months,

you'll prepare for your new life on Homestead II, meet your fellow passengers, take skill-building classes, and learn about colonial living. You've been assigned to learning group 21 for passengers with biology and engineering technical trade skills.

Her room was small. equipped with a single bed, a wardrobe and what looked like a small en suite bathroom. Much like her student digs at the University of Minnesota, but way more modern. Everything was greys and whites, smooth and slick.

“Please scan your ID to confirm luggage delivery.”

Cosima was really feeling sick now. Sweat covered her body and her head was screaming. Her feet weakened under her and she had to lean hard against the wall to stay up.

“Cosima. Please scan your ID to confirm luggage delivery.”

Cosima moved her wrist to a holographic circle that had appeared in front of her.

A glass of pink liquid appeared from a hole in the wall, and Cosima realised just how thirsty she was.

“To help you recover from hibernation, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Enjoy the rest of your voyage on the Avalon, a Homestead Company Starship.”

Cosima quickly slurped the strange pink drink, not taking the time to notice the taste. The robotic hologram woman had disappeared now. Cosima crashed on her bed and was asleep within seconds.


	2. Realisation

Cosima didn’t know how long she’d been asleep but the constant feeling of sickness had finally passed by the time she woke. She staggered out of bed and headed for her wardrobe. This was it. The first day on the ship. Today she’d be meeting the people who she was going to spend the rest of her life with, the people she’d be colonising a new planet with. It was totally awesome and she was excited to say the least.

She wanted to wear something that would make a good impression. Maybe impress some of the ladies, who knows she could be meeting her future wife today. She had to look good. Her wardrobe had been stacked with all her clothes from earth. Cosima flicked through her dresses, this was way too difficult a decision.

“That would look stupid” She thought.

“No way.” Cosima threw another outfit onto her bed, rejecting it.

“That's stupid.”

Finally she decided on a skirt with some dark tights, a black crop top with a button up t-shirt on top with alternating light and dark diamonds. She decided to wear her favourite red jacket on top. She was beginning to feel nervous now. She knew nobody, and was basically starting her whole life again.

Just own it. Own it, Cosima. You got a cool jacket, she thought to herself.

Once she was dressed she made her way out of her room and to the lift, which was conveniently close to her room.

 

Cosima finally made it to her work-group room, where she would be having her lessons on colonisation. It had been eerily quiet all morning. She had seen no-one in the lift, no-one else walking the corridors. It was deserted, which was extremely confusing to Cosima as everyone else should be awake, making their way to wherever they were meant to be going. Cosima stepped into her lecture room, all the benches were empty. Nobody else had arrived. Given Cosima’s habit of being late to everything, she couldn’t understand why she was alone.

A holographic woman in a suit had appeared at the front of the small lecture theatre. “Hello, passengers. Will you all please take a seat. Welcome, learning group 38. Your introduction to colonial life. Earth is a prosperous planet, the cradle of civilization. But for many, it's also overpopulated, overpriced, overrated.”

This woman was talking like the room was full, but Cosima was sat completely alone.

“I'm sorry, I think I may be in the wrong...”

“Hold all questions till the end, please,” the hologram lady said.

“Uh, Sorry.”

“The colonies offer an alternative, a better way of life...”

“Where are all the other passangers?” Cosima asked again.

“…And there's no colony more beautiful than Homestead II, the jewel of the occupied world.”

“I'm sorry. Where is everybody?” Cosima repeated.

“We are all on the Starship Avalon.”

“But I'm the only one here.”

“There are 5,000 passengers and 258 crew members.”

“So why am I alone?”

“We're all in this together.”

Cosima sprinted out of the room. This was completely wrong. Where was everybody. She had to try and find someone else.

“Hello? Anybody here? Hello?”

She ran to the map on the wall by the elevator. She had to make it to the main part of the ship. Cosima entered the elevator.

“Please buckle up and secure any loose items. This elevator will experience a momentary lapse in gravity.” A robotic voice said.

After a few moment the elevator came to a stop

“Grand concourse.” It said again.

Cosima was too pre-occupied to notice, but she stepped into a large room with multiple stories. The floors where white, and modern, everything was white. A water fountain stood meters from the elevator door, with Concord II written across it. Shops lined the second story, all visible from the ground floor. If she had turned her head upwards she would have seen an infinite number of stars, the ceiling was glass, giving a view of the entire universe. It was, just like everywhere else on the ship, completely devoid of any people.

“Hello.” Cosima said as she went up to a machine next to the fountain, it had a large question mark with passenger assistance written on it.

“Welcome to the grand concourse aboard the Avalon. Can I help you?”

“I need to talk to a person. A real live person, please?”

“What sort of person? Personal trainer? Travel planner? Therapist?”

“I don't know. Somebody in charge.”

“The ship's steward handles passenger affairs. It's on level three of the grand concourse.”

“Thank you.”

“Happy to help.”

Cosima ran up some stairs to the room where the ships steward should have been. The desk was empty.

“Not good.”

Cosima went back down to the assistance machine. She needed help.

“Hello.”

“Who's flying the ship?” Cosima asked it this time.

“The flight crew, the captain, the pilot, the chief navigator...”

“Captain. I want to speak to the captain.”

“The captain rarely handles passenger queries...”

“It's an emergency! Please.” She was desperate.

“The captain is usually found on the bridge, in the command ring. Bridge access requires special authorization.”

“You got to be kidding me.”

 

Cosima felt helpless. She was completely alone. If that bloody assistance robot wasn’t going to offer her any help she might as well try and find something else that could. She wandered around the ship. Room after room was empty. All the shops. Restaurants. The only moving things were the ships robots, zooming around trying to provide help and yet being completely useless.

Cosima walked into a room with a gigantic window, showing 180 degree views of the universe. Although she was extremely stressed it didn’t fail to take her breath away. There were thousands of stars twinkling, and towards the left of the window she could see light blue spattering of what must have been the start of another galaxy.

“Welcome to the observatory. What can I show you?” Another mechanical voice said.

“We're supposed to land soon. But I'm the only one awake.”

“I don't understand. What can I show you?”

“Show me Homestead II.”

“Homestead II is the fourth planet in the Bhakti System.”

“Right. And where are we?”

“We're in transit from Earth to Homestead II.”

“We will arrive in approximately 90 years.”

“WHAT?” Cosima hoped she had heard it wrong.

“We arrive at Homestead II in 90 years, three weeks and one day.”

“No. Wait.”

“How long ago did we leave Earth?”

“Approximately 30 years ago.”

“I woke up too soon.”

Cosima couldn’t believe it. The passengers were meant to be woken up 4 months before landing, not 90 years. She was awake so early that she would be dead before they reached Homestead II. She was the only one awake, and would be alone for her whole life. She couldn’t take it in. This couldn’t be happening to her. There must be something she could do.

Panicked she went back to the main region of the ship, and went up to the assistance bot yet again.

“Hello. How do I send a message to Earth?”

“Interstellar messages are sent by laser array. This is an expensive service.”

“Bite me.”

“What is your desired planet and connection?”

“Earth. The Homestead Company.”

“There are 30,826 contacts listed under Homestead Company.”

“I'm emigrating to Homestead II and I have an emergency.”

“I have a customer help line.”

“Sounds about right.”

“Begin message.”

“Hi. I'm Cosima Niehaus. I'm a passenger on the Avalon. I... I think something went wrong with my hibernation pod. I woke up too soon. And I mean, way too soon. Nobody else is awake, and... I don't know how to get back to sleep. And the thing is, there's 90 years to go. At this rate, I'm... I'm sorry, I'm trying to fix this. Maybe I missed something. I could use a hand.”

“That's all. Thank you.”

“Message sent.”

“Outstanding.”

“Message will arrive in 19 years.”

“Wait, what?”

“Earliest reply in 55 years.”

“FIFTY FIVE YEARS?” Cosima shrieked. She was going to be completely alone with no help for fifty five years?!

“We apologize for the delay. That will be $6,012.”

 

She felt helpless. What was she meant to do. Alone. For 90 years. Living on board this ship – all be it the most luxurious place she had ever been in her life – for eternity. She wondered around the ship aimlessly, contemplating what to do.

“Afternoon.” A male voice said, as she walked passed one of the ships bars.

A Man! A real live man was stood behind the bar!

“Is it good to see another face! Thought I was the only one awake.”

“Who wants to sleep on a beautiful day like this?” he replied.

“No, I mean we're in trouble. We're not supposed to be here.”

“Well, I won't tell if you don't. Our little secret. What can I get for you?”

“What?”

“You look like a beer lady.”

“Okay.”

Cosima went to sit at the bar and perched over the edge. Her heart dropped. He wasn’t a man. He was a robot. His top half was human, but his bottom half was a machine. She was still alone.

“You're a robot.”

“Android. Technically. Scott’s the name.”

“Cosima.”

“Pleased to meet you, Cosima.”

“How much do you know about this ship?”

“I don't know. I know some things.”

“What do I do if my hibernation pod malfunctions?”

“Hibernation pods are fail-safe. They never malfunction.”

“Well, I woke up early.”

“Can't happen.”

“How long until we get to Homestead II?”

“About 90 years or so.”

“And when are all the passengers supposed to wake up?”

“Not till the last four months.”

“How is it that I'm sitting here with you with 90 years to go?”

“It's not possible for you to be here.”

“Well, I am.”


	3. Discovery

“Good morning. It's a beautiful day here on the Avalon. So wake up, sunshine. It's time to relax and enjoy your stay.”

This was total bullshit. Cosima had made her way to the canteen for breakfast of day 2 of however many thousand completely alone. Large machines with pictures of different breakfast food and drinks stood in the centre of the room.

At least I don’t have to stand in a queue, Cosima thought to herself, trying to make the most of her totally shitty situation.

“Please make a selection.” The screen lit up with twenty or so different hot drinks. Cosima tapped on the image of a Mocha.

“Sorry. The Mocha Cappuccino Extreme is reserved for gold-class passengers.”

Bullshit. She tried again.

“Sorry. The Mocha Cappuccino Extreme is reserved for...”

“I want the Mocha Cappuccino Extreme. Bill my room, please.”

“Food can be purchased in the ship's...”

Enough of this. She tried again clicking on the next drink down.

“Sorry. The French Roast...” and again.

“Sorry. The Pumpkin Spice...”

“Sorry. Vanilla Chai...”

“Sorry... Sorry... Sorry...”

“Large coffee.” About damn time. Great not only was she stuck on the ship alone forever, she was going to have to survive off large coffee for breakfast everyday for 90 years. Absolutely fucking fantastic.

“Please enjoy your coffee.”

“Really?”

Cosima sat down in the canteen alone, with her cup of steaming coffee. She had never felt so sorry for herself.

 

After breakfast Cosima made her way to the crew pod room. She might as well try and get into the crew room and try and wake someone up who might be able to help her. The crew cabin was protected by a thick, circular metal door, with a tiny glass window in, through which she could see the sleeping crew. Cosima had rummaged through the ship late last night, and was equipped with a large hammer and blow torch. She would get through this door if it was the last thing she did.

“Crew pod room access requires special authorization.”

Of course it does. Cosima thought.

It was time to take action. She lifted the hammer over her head and repeatedly hit it against the metal door with all her might, screaming with the effort. After about 5 minutes she had tired, but there wasn’t even a scratch on the door.

“What the hell is this door made from” Cosima thought.

After a brief pause she tried to melt it with her blow torch. But it had no effect.

An hour later Cosima had given up. There was no way she was going to get through that door today and she had worn herself out. She made her way back through the ship back to the bar.

 

“I'm screwed, Scott. Totally ridiculously screwed.”

“Come on, now. Every cloud has a silver lining.”

“Guess I am gonna die of old age on this ship.”

“We all die. Even androids end up on the scrap heap.”

Scott was behind the bar cleaning a scotch glass with a cloth furiously.

“I'm your only customer. Why are you always polishing a glass?” Cosima asked.

“Trick of the trade. Makes people nervous when a bartender just stands there.”

“So lay some bartender wisdom on me. I'm lost in space here.”

“You're not where you want to be. You feel like you're supposed to be somewhere else.”

“You said it.” Cosima chuckled.

“Well, say you could snap your fingers and be wherever you wanted to be. I bet you'd still feel this way. Not in the right place. Point is, you can't get so hung up on where you'd rather be that you forget how to make the most of where you are.”

“What are you telling me?”

“Take a break from worrying about what you can't control. Live a little.”

“Live a little.”

Yeah, Cosima thought, she might as well make the most of the situation she was in. She was in a ship for some of the richest people back on earth, and everywhere was completely deserted. It was time she had a bit of fun, even if she was completely alone. There was no need for her to stay in such a shitty room when all of the ships rooms were completely empty.

Cosima went and studied the ships map. She made her way to the section of the ship for the wealthiest members of the voyage, with a belt of tools strapped around her waste. She walked passed suite door after door. “

Humm Vienna Suite’, now that sounds nice”, Cosima thought.

She took her tools out of her belt and set to forcing the door open. It took surprisingly little time, her muscles trained from her previous attack of the cabin crew door.

“Welcome to the Vienna Suite.”

“Yeah!”

This was more like it. The room was huge to say the least. It had a giant window on one wall, giving the most amazing view of space. The ground floor had its own lounge and dining room, furnished with the most luxurious stuff, completely tidy and modern. Elegant stairs led upstairs to a bedroom. The whole area was completely open planned and you could see out the window from the huge double bed. One side of the upstairs wall had a holographic display, showing scenery of forests back on earth. This was the life. The bed alone was the size of Cosima’s old room. She could get used to this.

After a nap in what was one of the most comfortable beds Cosima had ever slept on she made her way to the restaurant quarter of the ship. Chinese cuisine, French, Italian, Sushi, American. She had her choice of almost any type of food.

“Good afternoon, what can I get you today?” a robot asked Cosima once she had taken her seat in the sushi restaurant. She quickly scanned the menu.

“The shrimp please.”

“Make that a double jumbo shrimp.”

“Triple.”

Oh yes, this was going to be fun.

Cosima went to the entertainment arena after lunch. She walked into a room at random.

“Dance-off.” A computer system said to her.

“All right.”

A holographic male and female character appeared in front of her and a dance floor had lit up below her. Disco music started playing loudly and the holograms started to dance. Cosima guessed the aim of the game was to copy what they did, so she did.

“Game over, you failed to copy the movements correctly.” The computer said.

“I did exactly what you just did!”

Cosima waved her arms through the air, trying to copy the holograms, but they had a different rhythm to her. After about half an hour of dancing Cosima decided to make her way back to the canine.

“Large coffee.”

It was getting late and Cosima was making her way back to her new suite when she walked passed a room she hadn’t seen before. It had a few space suits in the centre of the room, with lots of equipment lining the walls.

“Welcome, Cosima. Please turn your attention to the screens displaying safety tips. These spacesuits are designed to withstand the harsh environment of space. The carbon fiber and polyamide construction means your suit is both flexible and durable. Remember, your spacesuit is your lifeline.”

The suit opened as Cosima walked passed, and she stepped into it. Wow. She had always dreamed of being an astronaut, that was one of the reasons shed agreed to this trip, but she never thought she’d ever actually get to experience floating around outside a space ship. The suit was heavy, but comfy. It felt safe. She walked her way to the door that led to the exit of the ship.

“Slide the handle on the right to release the air pressure. Your magnetic boots are now engaged. They can be deactivated using the control panel on your arm.”

“Press the red button to open the airlock door. Have a wonderful time.”

Cosima stepped outside onto the flat surface of the ship.

“Tether attached.”

Oh. My. God. It was beautiful. She had a 360-degree view of space. Millions of stars lined the sky, it was like nothing she had ever seen before. If she strained her eyes she swore she could see nebulas sparkling with bright colours. This was unreal. Cosima turned off her metal boots and started floating off the ship. She was attached by the tether so would be fine. She felt like a feather, floating off. It was amazing. She was so light. The movies made space look cool, but this was a whole new level. The serenity of the moment had got to Cosima, and it was then that she realised just how alone she was. A tear trickled down her face. The universe was so beautiful, but so lonely. She wished more than anything she had someone to share this experience with, a real, live person, not another bloody robot.

Slowly Cosima floated back to the ship, re-engaging her boots when she was above the metal platform.

“Welcome back, Cosima. We hope you decide to join us again soon for another thrilling experience. Have a wonderful time.”

Cosima began the trek back to her suite, this meant going through the pod room, and seeing all the other passengers sleeping. Floating around in space had made Cosima’s knees go weak, she struggled to walk through the huge room, stumbling to the floor by a section of pods.

Groaning she stood up, leaning against a pod to steady herself. As she stood she peered into the pod. Jesus Christ. The pod she was leaning in had the most beautiful woman she had ever seen asleep in it.

She had blonde, curly hair, she was tall, and completely stunning. Cosima’s knees went weak again, this time for a completely different reason. This woman was hands down the most beautiful person Cosima had ever seen in her life. Her face was sheer perfection.

Cosima looked down, each pod had the name of the sleeping passenger on its side.

“ _Delphine_.” Her name was Delphine. Cosima repeated it to herself.

“Delphine.” It had such a beautiful ring to it, almost as beautiful as the sleeping woman herself.

 

 


	4. Awakened 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the comments! I'm glad you are all intrigued! :)

Cosima couldn't stop thinking about Delphine. Everything she tried to do to distract herself only led to her mind wandering back to the blonde asleep in the pod.

  
It had been a week since Cosima had stumbled upon Delphine's pod when she remembered the profile she had to do about herself when she was accepted onto the voyage. If she had to do one then surely Delphine would have. All the passenger profiles were available on the ships computer database. If Cosima wasn't going to be able to ever meet Delphine then she was going to at least hear what she was like back on earth. Cosima grabbed the iPad that came with the luxurious suite.

  
"Searching passenger profiles."

  
After a few minutes of searching Cosima found her. She had made a video recording. Cosima was ecstatic, she'd hit metaphorical gold. Cosima played the video.

  
"I'm Delphine Cormier. Passenger 1456. I'm a scientific journalist and writer. I think we tell each other stories to know we're not alone, to make contact."

  
Delphine was french. Her voice was like music to Cosima's ears. It had a twinkle to it, and was smooth like chocolate. Damn, Delphine had been good looking, but now Cosima had heard her voice, it was like a bullet to her heart. She was heaven but Cosima would never be able to reach her.

  
"Your father was Oliver Cormier, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author."

  
"No pressure, right?" Cosima chucked, Delphine was funny.

  
"My dad used to say, 'If you live an ordinary life, all you'll have are ordinary stories. You have to live a life of adventure.' So... Here I am. We're starting over in every way. I'll have to figure out where to live, how to live, who my friends will be. It's like the first day of school. If the school bus took 120 years to get there. We're creating a culture..."

  
You are funny, Cosima thought smiling to herself.

Later that day Cosima was at the bar with Scott. She had developed a routine, every night before dinner she'd go and sit at the bar for half an hour or so and talk to Scott - the only human like contact she could get.

  
"Do you ever read something and feel like it's written just for you?" Cosima asked, more to herself than to Scott. Cosima had been digging through the ship archive all day and had stumbled across Delphine's articles and writing. She discovered that Delphine was amazing at science, she'd written multiple articles on immunology, which had fascinated Cosima.

  
"I don't do a lot of reading."

  
"She's good."

  
"Who's that?"

  
"Delphine."

  
"The sleeping girl?"

  
"You know, I'm not saying the universe is evil, but it sure has a nasty sense of humor."

  
"How is that?"

  
"You get to fly to another planet, but you'll die along the way. And you find the perfect woman right in front of you... Yet she's completely out of reach."

 

Cosima stayed up that night. Watching more of Delphine's videos. She knew even if she tried she wouldn't be able to get to sleep and the temptation of hearing Delphine's voice again was too much.

  
"Oui, I'll miss Paris. Give me a croissant and a view of the Eiffel Tower and I can write all day."

  
"They do have coffee and croissants on Homestead II, right? They better have coffee. If they don't, I have to turn around and come back to Earth." Delphine joked, which made Cosima smirk to herself.

  
"Is there anything you regret leaving behind?" The interviewer asked Delphine.

  
"Yeah, I'll miss the trees in Paris  
turning in the fall. I'll also miss crowds..."  
Delphine's voice lulled Cosima to sleep. Cosima found herself dreaming of Delphine all night long.

The next day Cosima was again chatting with Scott at her nightly bar visit.

  
"Say you were trapped on a desert island, and you had the power to wish somebody there with you. You wouldn't be alone anymore. But you'd be stranding the person on the island. Would you make that wish?"

  
"I don't know. I've never been on an island."

  
"Okay, well, yeah. Forget the island. Let's say you figured out how to do something that would make your life a million times better, but you knew it was wrong and there's no taking it back. How do you do the math?"

  
"Cosima, these are not robot questions."

  
"I know how to wake Delphine up."

  
"Well, that seems like a fine idea." Scott replied.

  
"You could use some company."

  
"I'd be stranding her on this ship for the rest of her life."

  
"Well, you can't do that."

  
"What am I gonna do?"

  
"I'm here for you."

  
"Scott, you're a machine."

  
Cosima leant over and slapped him in the face, which she instantly regretted as his face was so solid she definitely bruised her hand.

  
"See? You can't feel that. You don't have feelings. And you don't even mind. Cause you're not a person."

 

Days turned into weeks and all Cosima could think about was waking up Delphine.

  
 _Don't even think about it._  
No more Aurora talk.  
I'm over it.  
I'm moving on.  
Don't even think about it!  
What am I gonna do?  
I'm just gonna sit and think about it?  
I can't think about it, so I'm not going to.  
That's the deal. I've made my decision.  
I know what I'm doing.  
I just cut it off.  
I'm not... No more.  
You won't hear me bring up her name again.  
I'll never even mention her name again.  
Done.  
You can't do it.

As the weeks went on Cosima got more and more lonely. She had had all the fun she could on the ship alone. Everything had become dull. Even sitting in the observatory and looking at the complex stars had got boring.

  
Please don't do it, Cosima thought to herself. But she knew she was going to. She couldn't be alone any more. The temptation was too much.

 

Cosima made her way to the pod chamber, she had brought down all the tools she needed over the week. She was going to wake up Delphine. She knew it was terrible, she was dooming Delphine to a life like her own, she would die on the ship and never reach the new planet. But she had to do it. Being alone for so long had made her go stir crazy, any sense of right and wrong had almost been erased from her head.

  
Cosima meant down and pressed buttons on the side of Delphine's pod. She'd read the instruction manual countless times, if she was going to do this she was going to do it right. She opened the panel with all the circuit boards. Slowly with tweezers in hand she cut the wire that was keeping Delphine's pod in cryogenic sleep. As soon as Cosima had cut the wire she instantly regretted it. What had she just done. She had doomed Delphine. But Cosima had no time to feel sorry for herself now, Delphine's pod had started the process of waking her up. Cosima had to get out of the pod chamber fast. If Delphine found out that it was Cosima's fault that she had woken up Cosima knew she had no chance with her.

  
" _Good morning, Delphine._ " Delphine's pod chimed, as Cosima's had months earlier.

  
" _How are you feeling?_ "

  
Delphine groaned in response. 

  
" _It's perfectly normal to feel confused. You just spent 120 years in suspended animation."_


	5. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the comments everyone it's great to see people are actually engaging with the story and enjoying it! :)  
> I think the song Paper Thin by Astrid S fits nicely with this chapter as an accompanying music suggestion!

  
Cosima felt like a complete idiot. She was full of regret, why had she woken Delphine. For all she knew Delphine could be straight and waking her up could have resulted in an even worse situation - living on a ship with Delphine alone for her whole life, yet not being able to be with her. Pining for eternity. Cosima scurried away from the pod room while Delphine went through the wake routine. She knew how Delphine would feel and that she'd probably be asleep for a few hours, recovering. So Cosima decided to do the same. She returned to her room for a nap, planning to prepare her clothes for what would be their first meeting later. Cosima wanted to be sure that she would be around when Delphine was first discovering the ship, to try and lessen her confusion, providing at least one other face, to reassure her.

Cosima was wondering around the main area of the ship when she heard the elevator announce "Grand concourse."  
Delphine must be up and awake and must have just arrived.

  
"Hello? Anybody?" Cosima heard Delphine call, a hint of desperation in her voice.

  
"Hello." Cosima replied, awkwardly.

  
That's when Delphine saw her. Delphine stood and took Cosima in. Despite the twinkle of the water fountain and the hum of the ship everything seemed to go silent. Delphine's eyes met Cosima's, they seemed to penetrate into Cosima's soul, they were full of confusion and a million questions. Cosima knew exactly how she felt. The fear in Delphine's eyes sent knifes through Cosima's heart, and that's when she knew, she had definitely made the wrong decision waking up Delphine. She had doomed her to an eternity stuck on the ship, alone. It was not her right. Sorrow and regret swept over Cosima. But she had to make sure her face didn't falter, in an attempt not add to Delphine's worry.

  
"Bonjour. Are you passenger or crew?" Delphine asked, her french weakening a Cosima's knees.

  
"Passenger. I'm Cosima."

  
"Delphine, Enchantee."

  
"Enchantee." Cosima replied with an attempted french accent, so awful that it was cute.

  
"Do you know what's going on? Nobody else from my row woke up."

  
"Same for me."

  
"The crew's supposed to wake up a month before we do, but I haven't seen anybody."

  
"The crew is still asleep." Cosima replied sorrowfully.

  
"Are you saying nobody's awake?"

  
"Just me."

  
"Just you?"

  
"It's just us." Cosima said with a grim nod.

  
"But somebody's got to land the ship  
in a few weeks." Delphine looked confused.

  
"We will arrive in eighty-nine years. The other passengers aren't late waking up. We were early."  
As soon as the words came out of Cosima's mouth Delphine faltered and almost fell backwards, Cosima stuck her arm out, offering support. Delphine briefly grabbed Cosima's arm. Cosima felt like she was on fire just from the touch, almost like fireworks under her skin, it was amazing.

  
"We need help. Where's the crew?" Delphine stuttered with panic.

  
"The crew's in a secure hibernation room. Everything important, the controls, the reactors, the engines... It's all behind firewalls. There's no way through."  
"Merde. How long have you been awake?"

  
"A year and three weeks." Cosima replied resignation in her voice.

  
"Non. No, no, no. No, this can't be happening. We have to go back to sleep."

"Delphine, we can't."

  
"We just have to get back to our pods  
and start them up again." Delphine said, starting to run towards the pod room.

Cosima had never seen such panic as was plastered across Delphine's face. Cosima ran after her, it was the only thing she could do.

  
"I can't find my pod. I can't find my pod.  
I can't find my pod. I don't know which..."

  
"It doesn't matter."

  
Delphine didn't seem to hear Cosima, her state of panic was just increasing.

  
"Delphine." Cosima said again, almost at a whisper.

  
"I can't find it."

  
"Stop. Delphine..."

  
"I can't find which one is mine!"

  
"Stop."

  
"I don't know which one is mine!"

  
"I'll help you."

  
"I can't..."

  
"Stop! It doesn't matter. Putting somebody into hibernation requires special equipment. Remember the facility  
where they put us under, all the procedures we went through? These pods are designed to keep us in hibernation, to wake us up at the right time, but they can't put us back to sleep."

  
"You don't think there's a way back into hibernation?"

  
"No."

  
"But there has to be. There has to be. _Il doit y avoir."_

  
Delphine broke down at that. She sank to the floor by her pod, sobbing, uttering " _Mon Dieu_ " over and over.

  
Cosima didn't know what to do. She stood watching Delphine for a brief moment, feeling utterly grief stricken for her. Cosima decided to take control. She bent down and took Delphine in her arms, holding her tightly, whispering reassuring words to her while rubbing her back and squeezing her. Delphine slowly stood up and the women were locked in a tight embrace, Delphine crying into Cosima's shoulder. Cosima felt electric, her whole body was in contact with Delphine, it felt so right. Cosima could smell Delphine, she smelt like lavender and soap, with a hint of elegant perfume. She had never smelt anything so good. They fit each other perfectly. Gradually Delphine calmed down, slowly gaining composure in Cosima's arms.

  
" _Pardon_ , I'm so sorry." Delphine said quietly to Cosima once she had recovered.

  
"Don't worry about it. I completely get it. Honestly. I know it isn't much reassurance but trust me I know how you feel and I'm here for you."

  
" _Merci_ , you are very sweet. Thank you Cosima."

  
They settled into a brief, comfortable silence.

  
"9:00. Nighttime." Delphine mumbled.  
"I know I should be working the problem, but... I can't even keep my eyes open."

  
"You just came out of hibernation. It's going to be a couple of days before you're 100%. You should get some rest."

  
"Think I'm gonna have to."

  
"I'll walk you to your cabin," Cosima offered.

  
"Non, it's okay. I'll be all right."

  
"Okay."

  
"Good night, Delphine."

  
"More than a year? I can't imagine. It must have been so hard for you."

  
"It was." Cosima said with a sudden seriousness, the saddess of her statement reaching her eyes.

  
"Good night, Cosima."

  
"Please buckle up and secure any loose items," the lift announced as Delphine stepped it.

  
Cosima stood, watching the lift for a while. Taking in what had just happened. She had just ruined Delphine's life, and yet being with the woman felt so right. It felt like she had found home. One of the many problems that faced her now was knowing whether Delphine had felt the same instantaneous connection.

Cosima, not feeling in the mood for sleep, went to the bar.

  
"Whiskey, neat."

  
"Sure thing. How's your day been?"

  
"Delphine's awake."

  
"Congratulations. But you don't look happy."

  
"Scott, can you keep a secret?"

  
"Cosima... I'm not just a bartender, I'm a gentleman."

  
"Don't tell Delphine that I woke her up. She thinks it was an accident. Let me tell her."

  
"Of course."


	6. The New Normal

Cosima woke up from a fitful sleep, unable to do anything but think about how she had ruined Delphine's life. Her mind also kept wondering back to Delphine breaking down yesterday, the feel of the blonde in her arms, her smell, her smirk when Cosima had attempted to speak French.

  
Cosima wondered into the ships cafeteria. The huge room was empty, with tables and chairs deserted, except for one. Delphine sat at a table with her breakfast, alone. Seeing someone else sat where she would normally have been alone brightened Cosima's mood. Especially when that someone was Delphine. Every time Cosima saw her she was struck by her beauty. Cosima's memory of the woman could not recreate the real elegance of the french woman.   
When Cosima walked in to the cafeteria Delphine looked up from her plate. Their eyes met and Delphine gave Cosima a gentle smile. Cosima noticed the blondes eyes were swollen, which must have been from crying. But the presence of Cosima seemed to reassure the blonde.

  
"Morning, sunshine." Cosima said, with a hint of sleep in her voice.

  
"Bonjour Cosima."

  
"Nice sleep?"

  
"Oui, was not too bad given everything. Cosima. I want to apologise for my state again last night, I should have waited till I was alone rather than trouble you with my feelings. You have enough of your own worries." Delphine said with complete severity.

  
"No Delphine don't apologise. I'm sorry I kinda wanted to float the whole stuck on a ship for the rest of your life with just me thing a lot softer. But like welcome to the trip, man."

  
Delphine chuckled. Cosima's gentle approach was softening Delphine. " _C'est bon_. But how can there be no way to put someone back into hibernation? What if a pod breaks down?"

  
"No hibernation pod has malfunctioned  
in thousands of interstellar flights."

  
"Well, I'm awake."

  
"Haha ditto. I've been through this whole thought process a million times Delphine. Hibernation pods are 'fail-safe'."

  
"Apparently not," Delphine chuckled.

  
"Have you eaten?"

  
"Non. I'm starving. And this is the dumbest machine." Delphine said while trying to operate the food machine.

  
"Happy to help." Cosima wondered over to help her.

  
First she clicked on the machine, getting her own bog standard breakfast.

  
"Well, you're a woman of simple tastes." Delphine joked. Cosima's breakfast looks much like a cardboard square.

  
"I'm not a gold-class passenger. French breakfast puff's above my pay grade."

  
"What? This whole time?"

  
"Yep." Cosima said with a grim smile "I'm one lucky gal."

  
"What can I get you?"

  
Cosima scoffed. "Wait? You're a gold class passenger?"

  
"Mm, oui, I am." A grin spread across Cosima's face, and was quickly echoed on Delphine's. Delphine while face lit up when she smiled, making Cosima's heart flutter.

  
"What do you want? I'll get you anything."

  
"No. No, I'm fine."

  
"Stop it."

  
"Really? Okay? Anything I want? Hmm let me think, there are a lot of things I want Delphine, I'm not sure how many of them I can get from this machine though." Cosima joked.

  
Delphine smirked, "You're very... what's the word... cheeky. You're very cheeky Cosima."

  
Delphine went to the machine and got Cosima the best of the gold - class breakfasts.

  
"Here you go."

  
"Thank you, this is totally awesome. Thank God it was you who woke up and not some other non gold class peasant like me." Both women smiled.

  
"So, I was thinking, maybe there's another way to go to sleep. What about the infirmary?" Delphine suggested after a brief lull in the conversation.

  
"I checked it out. It's just scanners and an Autodoc."

  
"There could be another hibernation machine in the cargo hold."

  
"I had that thought, too. And then I read the manifest. It's mostly farming stuff,  
machines and trade goods. Replacement parts for computers and engineering. We're not gonna find a hibernation facility in a box."

  
"We could build our own." Delphine said with desperation in her voice.

  
"We can't."

  
"Cosima, you're not even trying."

  
"I have tried everything. For over a year, I... I tried everything."

  
"Well... Well, I'm not ready to give up."

  
Cosima and Delphine finished their breakfast. Delphine headed to the infirmary, Cosima following.

  
"Infirmary." The door announced as it opened.

  
"What about research articles? Any kind of technical documents." Delphine asked.

  
"Hibernation technology is proprietary."

  
Delphine went to a computer, not willing to give up, trying to find some documents.

  
"The following articles deal with the subject on a theoretical level." The computer said.

  
"Trust me Delphine, I've looked everywhere, there is nothing we can do."

  
With that, Delphine gave up, and the pair walked from the infirmary back to the main section of the ship.

  
"I think I'm gonna explore the ship a bit, let everything sink in." Delphine said with a shrug.

  
"Yeah, cool okay. See you later alligator. Hopefully I'll be able to find you again what with all these people it might be difficult." Cosima said with a grin.

Delphine found herself growing to the dreadlocked girls grin, wishing she could see it more.

  
"It's, um, it's really nice to make a friend in the Brave New World."

  
Cosima smiled, "Yeah."

  
"See you later. "

  
"Okay, yeah."

  
Delphine leaned in to Cosima, kissing the corner of her lips. Cosima's heart rate tripled. The blondes lips were so soft, her touch sent electricity through Cosima. Delphine wondered off, unaware that Cosima watched her, with a huge grin plastered across her face. "Shit. I'm in deep." Cosima thought.

Delphine settled into her cabin. After a short exploration of the ship she had gotten tired and returned to her room. She decided to start a diary book like thing, documenting what was happening to her. The room iPad recorded what she said and translated it into a word document.

  
"I boarded the Avalon with an idea,  
a destination. Both now out of reach. I've been awake for seven days. Awake far too soon. And I may well spend the rest of my life here, in a steel world 1,000 meters long. There's another passenger awake,  
a biologist and engineer named Cosima Niehaus. She seems to have accepted our fate. But I'm scared. I'm fighting to stay calm. All the other passengers will sleep  
for another 90 years while I live out my life on this ship, traveling forever... Never arriving... My only companion a total stranger."

Later that day Cosima and Delphine reunited. Quickly settling into a comfortable conversation. There was never awkwardness between the two women, even though they had only just met.

  
They went to Cosima's favourite bar, and Scott served them both a drink.

  
"So, you're into biology?" Delphine asked Cosima.

  
"Yeah, totally. I was a kinda geek monkey when we were back on earth. You're interested in science, too, right?"

   
"Yes. Um, immunology in particular. I studyied host-parasite relationships when I was not writing."

  
"Oh, cool, cool! Yeah, I'm evo-devo."

Delphine looked confused briefly then announced, in a proud voice "Evolutionary development."

  
"Yeah, yeah. That's... that's what we called it in San Fran."

  
A comfortable conversation settled between the two. After an hour of getting to know each other, they fell into silence.  
Then, Delphine suddenly asked "Why did you do it?"

  
"Do what?" Cosima asked, panic stricken. Cosima started to sweat. Delphine surely didn't know that Cosima had woken her up. There was no way she could know, could she?

 

  
"Emigrate. Leave Earth. I'm interviewing you."

  
"You're what?"

  
"You were the first hibernation failure in the history of space travel. That makes you a story."

  
"Who you gonna tell?"

  
"Posterity."

  
"So, why did you give up your life on Earth? 120-year space hibernation means you'll never see your family or friends again. You'll wake up in a new century on a new planet. It's the ultimate geographical suicide."

  
"Well, I could ask you the same thing."  
"But it's my interview." Delphine replied with a smirk, which Cosima found oddly attractive.

  
"Were you running away from something?"

  
"No. Everything was okay."

  
"So?"

  
"Well, I guess I just wanted a new world, I don't know, a fresh start."

  
"That's Homestead Company advertising."

  
"Is it?" Cosima grinned.

  
"Cosima. So cheeky."

  
"I know. I guess. You're right. Back on Earth, when something breaks, you don't fix it, you replace it. The colonies, they have problems to solve. They're my kind of problems. And a biologist and engineer is somebody on this new world. All the life and biology of this whole planet is completely new. It fascinates me. What girl doesn't dream of being a pioneering biologist on a new planet. This is a new world still being built. I could build a house and live in it. Open country. Room to grow."

  
"Now you're back to slogans." Delphine chuckled.

  
"Can't slogans be true?"

  
"Do you know how much Homestead Company made off its first planet? Eight quadrillion dollars. That's eight million billions. Colony planets are the biggest business going. Did you pay full price for your ticket?"

  
"No. I'm in a desirable trade."

  
"So they fill your head with dreams,  
discount your ticket, and you fly off to populate their planet and give Homestead 20% of everything that you make for the rest of your life. Not to mention the debt you run up on this fancy starship."

  
"So all you see here is 5,000 suckers?" Cosima smirked.

  
"I see zeros on the Homestead Company's bottom line."

  
"I see 5,000 men and women changing their lives. For 5,000 different reasons. You don't know these people."

  
"I'm a journalist. I know people."

  
"Really?" 


	7. Fun and Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loving everyone's comments thank you so much for all being so sweet! :) really motivational!

"Really? You think you know people huh?" Cosima said she raised an eyebrow exaggeratedly, the movement drawing the glasses down her nose.

  
"Oui. It is part of my job Cosima." Delphine teased back.

  
"We'll see about that now shall we." Cosima said with teasing in her tone.

Cosima grabbed Delphine by the hand. The two half ran hand in hand, Cosima leading, through the ship to the pod room. When they reached the pods Cosima slowed, but neither women released the other from their grip. They slowly walked through sections of pods, Cosima gazing at each person intently. Cosima brought Delphine to a halt next to a pod with a middle aged man in.

  
"Okay then Miss Cocky. This one. Is he a banker, a teacher or a gardener?"

  
"Banker." Delphine said with absolute certainty.

  
"Nope. He's a gardener." Cosima chuckled, her grin flared and twisted with amusement.

  
"And her," Cosima said pointing the the woman in the pod next to him, "is she a... Madison, Donna or a Lola?"

  
"Donna's too serious for that hair. Lola. _Absolutement_ "

  
"Madison."

  
" _Merde_!"

  
"Watch your language Cormier!" Cosima smirked. The swearing of Delphine in her velvet french had sent ripples of attraction down the dreadlocked woman.

  
"All right," Cosima said pointing to another pod, "chef, accountant or midwife?"

  
"She has to be a midwife. There's no way you just made that one up."

  
"Yeah. She's a midwife."

  
Delphine pumped her fist through the air in victory, a huge grin spread across her face, which was quickly caught by Cosima. "I didn't know they still had midwives. I like her. We'd be friends."

  
"You think you can see that?" Cosima asked quizzically.

  
"Don't you?"

  
"I do."

  
The women left the pod room and jogged back to the bar where the two had got into a routine of spending the days chatting.

  
"You know what's a very French thing to do?" Delphine said with a smile.

  
"What?"

  
Delphine reached into her pocked and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, which she subsequently lit.

  
"After a jogging like this, we like to smoke a nice little cigarette."

  
"Did you say 'a jogging'?" a slow grin came to Cosima's face.

  
"Yes."

  
Cosima chuckled, "You did. Okay, just checking."

  
The two women's eyes met and Delphine took her bottom lip into her mouth, biting it. Cosima's eyes flickered to Delphine's mouth, inadvertently. As soon as Cosima realised what she was doing she quickly moved her eyes away from Delphine's lips, hoping the blonde hadn't noticed.

  
Delphine opened the packed of cigarettes and offered Cosima a cigertte. Both women choosing to ignore the atmosphere of sexual tension that has enveloped the conversation after Delphine's lip bite.

  
"You smoke? Do you want one?"

  
"No, just pot for me."

  
"Ooh, really?" Delphine said mid smoke.

  
"Yes, I'm from San Fran, so..."

  
"Ooh."

  
"I am going to get you so baked one day."

  
"Oui, I would like that." Delphine smiled, "but where will you get pot on the ship?"

  
"In my year alone I got a good chance to explore the ship. They have this huge area with every plant you can imagine, frozen, waiting for the arrival on homestead II. I may have seen some cheeky pot plants. I don't think the passengers will notice a few missing." Cosima said with a wink.

"So cheeky..."

"So, you got to interview me the other day, but you haven't told me why you wanted to go to Homestead II Delphine."

Cosima said, breaking the amicable silence that had fallen.

  
"I've actually got a round trip ticket." Delphine said.

  
"A round-trip ticket?"

  
"That's right." Cosima raised an eyebrow in question.

  
"I was gonna fly to Homestead II, live for a year, and then right back to Earth."

  
"I don't get it. I left Earth for a new life, but you end up back where you started?"

  
"I end up in the future. Two hundred and fifty years in the future, on Earth, which is still the center of civilization, like it or not. And I'll be the only writer to ever travel to a colony world and come back. I'll have a story no one else can tell."

  
"What story?"

  
"Humanity's flight to the stars. The greatest migration in human history. It's the biggest story there is."

  
"But you won't know any of the people who are reading it."

  
"But they'd be reading it."

  
"Or they would have been. I'll never write it now. I don't know if I'll ever write again. Cosima, I can't think of anything else to try to save us. And I don't even want to think about it anymore." Delphine said, her expression suddenly becoming downcast.

  
"What is there to do around here?" She said a sudden smile breaking out across the blondes face, adventure in her tone.

  
"Are you serious?"

  
"Dead serious."

Cosima led Delphine to the game area of the ship and straight to the dance game room.

  
"Partner mode." The computer system announced.

  
"Let's get it on!" Cosima said in a jovial voice. Both women broke out into a chuckle.

  
"Come on, get in power mode. You just stand here." Cosima pulled Delphine to a the spot on the dance floor next to her.

"And then we repeat what they do."

  
Both women started dancing when the music turned on. Delphine attempting to copy the moves of the homographic people, but failing in an extremely cute way.

  
Cosima however, had perfected the movements. Her hands flew through the air like butterflies, smooth and sleek. Her hips swung exactly in time with the music, keeping rhythm perfectly.   
Delphine cast her eyes over to Cosima, the movements of the dreadlocked woman made her feel things she didn't even know it was possible to feel. Delphine wanted to grab Cosima by the waste and kiss her against the wall, feel the movement of the dreadlocked woman's hips beneath her own. Delphine had never felt this before, with all the men in her past the attraction had never been like this. It was never this strong. But Delphine knew she couldn't do anything, instead she bit her lip, so hard she almost drew blood, trying to withhold her attraction.

  
Cosima was in a world of her own, but if she had looked over to Delphine she would have seen the lust in the blondes eyes.

  
"Bloop bloop bloop. Game over. You have failed. Better luck next time." The computer announced, fake confetti sprinkling the holographic pair.

  
"Damn it!" Cosima chuckled.

  
"You need to get some practice at this Delphine!" Cosima said cheekily, catching the blondes eye, whose face broke out in a huge grin.

  
"Mmm oui I do. But I don't think I'll ever be as good as you mon ami."

  
After a few more attempts, the pair gave up. Cosima's hip movements became too much for Delphine to cope with,  
"Is there anything else we can do?"

  
"Oh yes, the party hasn't even started yet Cormier."

 

Cosima then led Delphine to the basketball court.

  
"You ready to lose Delphine?"

  
"I think you should be the one worried mon cherie." Delphine smirked back.

  
"Hey!"

  
"Here we go. Let's see it."

  
Cosima grabbed the ball and did some fancy tricks, bouncing it between her legs and side stepping Delphine, then jumping and slamming the ball through the hoop.

  
"You were lucky that time Niehaus, now I've warmed up just you wait."

  
Cosima started with the ball again, but this time Delphine smoothly tackled her, gaining control of the ball and sprinting to the other side of the court, successfully slam dunking.

  
"Hey! No fair some of us aren't tall enough to do that!" Cosima joked.

  
"It's not my fault if some of us have inferior height genes and ended up small." Delphine winked, a huge grin lighting up her whole face.

  
"Why you smiling?" Cosima probed smirking herself.

  
"Delphine! Delphine!" The computer system cheered.

  
"'Cause I'm up two points." Delphine stuck out her tongue, teasing.

 

After a day of games and fun Cosima decided to take Delphine to her favourite bar on the ship, with Scotty the waiter. The pair had not yet been there together.

  
"Who's the lovely lady?" Scott asked as they sat down.

  
"This is Delphine." Cosima announced full of pride.

  
"Delphine. A pleasure."

  
The triplet fell into comfortable conversation.

  
"I swear, I didn't wear pants for a month.  
Seven weeks and two days, to be exact." Cosima said, as her and Scott reminisced on Cosima's year alone for Delphine's entertainment.

  
"The woman has no shame." Scott joked.

  
"Well, you're a little lacking in that area yourself, Scott." Cosima jibed back, as Scott was an android with only an upper body, his legs were machine only.

  
"I laughed at the man with no pants until I realized I have no legs." The three chuckled.

  
"For a minute, I almost forgot my life is in ruins." Delphine said suddenly, with a solemn grin.

  
"I'm sorry." Cosima said, leaning over and grabbing Delphine's arm, trying to comfort her.

  
"What for? I'm gonna go to bed. Good night." Delphine smiled reassuringly in response.

  
"All right. Good night, Delphine."

Delphine leaned over, gently kissing the side of Cosima's mouth, a habit which had developed between the pair. Both women feeling sparks at the contact.  
Delphine got up and wondered out of the bar back to her room.

  
"She is wonderful. Excellent choice." Scott said to Cosima once Delphine was out of earshot. Cosima nodded in response.


	8. Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this film is actually really great as background music: https://open.spotify.com/album/2smWQvJn9iIdStfXgX96rs
> 
> Thanks so much for reading guys :)

Cosima and Delphine settled into a routine quickly. Delphine would wake up early in the morning and go on a jog around the spaceship, then go for a swim in the ships pool. Cosima on the other hand would sleep long into the morning, meeting Delphine for breakfast in the cafeteria. The women would sometimes spend the days together, just having fun, other times Cosima would explore the ships storage area full of animals and plants in cryogenic sleep and every possible material that might be needed by the colonisers on the new planet.

The sexual tension between the women built slowly day after day. Delphine would often catch Cosima staring at her lips during lulls in their conversation. Delphine would find herself biting her lip, trying to force down the attraction she had for Cosima, whenever she made a joke or did something cute - which was more often than not. Delphine was slowly becoming attracted to everything about the brunette woman. From the way she'd push her tongue behind her teeth when she grinned, to her expressive hand gestures that flowed during every conversation. The women seemed to fit, they became accustomed to each other's ways and habits.

Cosima took up a new project. She decided to reprogram one of the ships cleaner bots. The little robots would zoom after Delphine and Cosima day after day, cleaning up the floor after them, making sure the ship was perfectly clean. However, a few weeks in one of the bots started to malfunction. Instead of retreating into a cubby hole in the ship it repeatedly rammed into the wall. After multiple failed attempts Cosima managed to reprogram the bot so that she could control it with a remote, seeing what it saw through its camera eye.

Although Delphine didn't know it one of the main reasons Cosima woke up so late was because she spent the nights tossing and turning, unable to switch off and stop thinking about Delphine. One night Cosima decided to bite the bullet and go for it with Delphine. What was the worst that could happen? Delphine could turn her down and things could be awkward for a while? Cosima decided the risk was worth it. Whenever the blonde accidentally touched her Cosima's body set on fire. She had never felt like this with another woman. It would definitely be worth it.

In the morning Cosima wrote Delphine a note. "Go out with me tonight at 7? Dress code is something sexy ;) which won't be hard for you." Cosima gave the note to her robot and controlled it until she found Delphine.

  
"Bonjour." Delphine said sweetly when the little robot approached her.

  
"Hi." Cosima said from the control room, even though Delphine wouldn't be able to hear her response.

  
"Here you go." Cosima said again to the computer screen. She ejected the robots little hand, with the note clutched between its hand.

  
Delphine reached out, and took the note from the bot. Cosima watched through the screen as Delphine unfolded the note excruciatingly slowly. As Delphine's eyes read Cosima's message a smile broke out, she was unable to control her joy. Cosima felt her lips form a grin of their own accord, from watching the blondes happiness. Cosima's heart was racing. She could totally have just ruined their friendship and made things awkward.

  
"Is she asking me on a date?" Delphine asked the machine teasingly.

  
At that Cosima moved the machines camera up and down, attempting to make it nod.

  
"Do you need a pen?" Cosima said to the screen which she was watching events unfold from. She pressed another button, and the robot ejected a pen for Delphine.

  
"She didn't seem that impressed." Cosima sighed to herself, Delphine obviously didn't realise how long it had taken Cosima to get the bloody robot to do as her controls commanded.

  
Delphine smugly wrote her reply on the note and folded it back up, returning it to the robot, intentionally not showing its camera what she wrote, leaving Delphine in suspense.

  
"Oh Cormier you can be cheeky too can you." Cosima thought to herself.

  
When the robot finally made its way back to Cosima she almost tore its arm of trying to grab the note.

  
She unfolded the note and glanced down. 'Love to. D x' it wrote, in Delphine's curvy writing.

  
"Love to." She wrote, "Love to." Cosima said. She was unable to repress the pure excitement and joy that burst through her. The hugest grin ever spread across her face, which would stay there for the remainder of the day.

The two women did not see each other for the rest of the day.

Delphine went to the pool for a swim before getting ready for the date with Cosima. The ships pool was huge. It had a glass bubble that extended beyond the sides of the ship. It was Delphine's favourite place on the ship. When she swam into the glass bubble she was surrounded by stars and water. A sense of peace she had never before experienced settled over her whenever she swam into the bubble. Delphine couldn't believe that Cosima had actually asked her in a date. Delphine had wished for it yes, but she never thought anything would actually come of her feelings. Cosima obviously felt the same as she did, which sent a rush of excitement through Delphine.

Cosima took hours deciding what to wear. Throwing dress after dress onto her bed, trying to find one that looked good enough for their date. By the time she had finally settled on what to wear Cosima was already 10 minutes late and she still had to make her way to Delphine's room to pick her up.

"You have a visitor." Delphine's door announced when Cosima finally reached her room.

It opened. Revealing Delphine strutting down her stairs, making her way to the exit. Delphine wore black heals, with a black dress with white segments, slightly glittery. It hugged her body, revealing all her curves and the sheer perfection of her figure.

  
Cosima saw her and her mouth opened into a gape. Delphine normally looked good but this was a whole new level. Cosima couldn't close her mouth, she was entranced by the beauty of Delphine. She uttered "wow" under her breath, unable to stop herself, hoping Delphine didn't hear.

As Delphine descended the stairs she took Cosima in. Slowly looking her up and down. The brunettes beauty took her breath away, but she tried to keep composure and not give her feelings away too obviously. Delphine took in Cosima's face, and saw Cosima's expression of shock. She saw Cosima mouth wow to herself, and a small chuckle escaped Delphine. Cosima was so obvious, how had she not noticed before.

"Finalment!" Delphine shouted ironically "I thought you stood me up Cosima you were taking so long!"

 

"Never! Kinda always late, kinda always sorry." Cosima replied.

  
"You clean up pretty good." Delphine said to Cosima, with a wink.

  
"You went shopping? That is a new dress non?"

  
"I went shoplifting." Cosima corrected with a smirk.

  
Cosima led the way to the bar, both women ensuring not to walk to close to each other. However Delphine's arm occasionally brushed against Cosima's spreading goosebumps up her arm.

  
"Evening. What can I get for you?" Scott asked them when they reached the bar.

  
"I'll have a wine, red, please." Delphine said.

  
"Ditto." Cosima grinned.

  
"Coming up. You two look fine this evening."

  
"Merci, Arthur. We're on a date." Delphine replied smugly.

  
"Very nice."

  
"Took you long enough to ask." Delphine teased, with a gentle grin spread across her face.

  
"I was giving you space."

  
"Space. The one thing I do not need more of." Delphine chucked.

  
They went to the best restaurant in the ship. Sitting on a table on the second floor of the restaurant on a glass balcony. During the meal Delphine repeatly found herself biting her bottom lip because of Cosima's sheer attraction. The wine started getting to Cosima. She would stare for long periods of time at Delphine's wine stained lips, unable to resist.

  
"That was so good." Delphine announced as their desert was cleared.

  
"It wasn't easy getting a reservation. They're probably gonna want us to give up our table. I'm getting a lot of dirty looks."

  
"Very popular tonight." Delphine replied, joining Cosima's banter.

  
"So how's your book coming?"

  
"I don't really know what it is yet. My dad, he used to always write about his life, but he had stories. He'd sailed around Antarctica. He was a war reporter. He had lovers. He wrote about his daughter."

  
"He wrote about you?"

  
"Oui. I grew up reading about myself in his books."

  
"How was that?"

  
"Not always easy. A little more than you wanted to know about yourself. And then, when I was 17, he had a heart attack. Right at his keypad. End of story."

  
"That was so serious. I'm sorry."

  
"Merci." Delphine said, a sudden sadness taking over her face.

  
"We need more wine. Non?" Delphine said after a pause, a small smile retuning to her face.

  
"I like hearing about your life."

  
"Thank you for tonight Cosima. I have really enjoyed it."

  
"It's not over yet." Cosima smirked, as she got up from the table. Cosima took Delphine by the hand and led Delphine to the area of the ship with the astronaut suits on that Cosima had experienced on one of her first days alone.

  
"Why are we here?"

  
"You'll see. Best show in town."

  
"So you've done this before?"

  
"Yeah."

  
"And it's safe?"

  
"No. Reasonably safe." Cosima said, stepping into a space suit.

  
"Hop in. You're next."

  
"What about my dress?" Delphine said.

  
"Ah. Right. I think it's gonna have to come off." Cosima said with a cheeky grin.

  
"Turn around." Delphine commanded.

  
Cosima turned around, but not in time to stop her seeing Delphine's dress slipping off the back of her body, revealing her from behind. Cosima felt like she'd been hit over the head with a brick.

  
After Delphine had got into the suit she whispered "okay," signalling Cosima to turn back around.

  
Cosima led Delphine to the exit of the room that led them to space.

  
"Tether attached." The machine said.

The door opened. The two stepped outside. Delphine's face was that of shock. She had never before seen so many stars, millions of them lit up the sky with such beauty it took her breath away. Cosima stood, staring at the blondes reaction, her obvious shock and joy at seeing such beauty filled Cosima.

  
"Beautiful, huh?" Cosima muttered staring directly into Delphine's eyes.

  
"What are you doing?" Delphine uttered as Cosima leaned forward and began pressing buttons on Delphine's suit.

  
"Do you trust me?" Cosima uttered, to which Delphine nodded.

  
Cosima pressed more buttons and the two women floated off the ship, arms linked. They became weightless, floating with unrestricted 360 degree view of space in its entirety.

  
"Over there,", Cosima pointed "is the Hebradon galaxy."

  
"And there," she pointed again, "that faint blue dot, that's the planet Pandora."

  
Cosima stopped looking at the stars and returned her view to Delphine. Although the stars were amazing, to Cosima Delphine was a million times more beautiful. The look of amazement in her eyes made her look even more beautiful.  
Delphine's eyes slowly moved form the stars to Cosima.

  
"Mon Dieu." She uttered. "This is so beautiful."

Tears slowly started streaking down Delphine's face, the sheer beauty around her had shaken her, it was too much to take in. Cosima looked at Delphine, the tears running down her face and the universe reflecting off them, and her heart felt fuller than it had ever before.

  
After a few more minutes floating around hand in hand, the two women returned to the ship.

  
"Thank you." Delphine spoke quietly when she had taken her helmet off.  
Cosima could no longer restrain herself, Delphine looked so amazing.

  
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You kill me." Cosima uttered.

  
Delphine stepped back. Shocked by the sudden outburst from Cosima. Cosima's words sent arrows through her heart. Delphine's eyes softened, a huge grin broke out across her face in response.

  
"You okay?" Cosima asked when the blonde didn't respond.

  
"Yeah. I'm fine. It's just..." Delphine said, lost for words, unable to express how she felt to Cosima.

  
"Yeah, I know." Cosima replied back gently.

  
Cosima leaned forward. Moving her head towards Delphine's. She reached out, cupping Delphine's chin in her hand and gently stroking her fingers along the side of her face. Cosima's lips brushed against Delphine's. Their noses bumped. Electricity flying up Cosima's body. Delphine's lips were so soft. She leaned forward, to kiss Delphine.

  
But the space suits were so large that she couldn't get close enough for their lips to actually touch. She tried again, almost ramming Delphine with her suit. Both women broke out into a loud chuckle. Cosima pressed the eject button from her suit and stood out of it. She then returned to Delphine. This time wrapping her hands around the back of Delphine's head, and pushed her lips towards the blondes. Finally they made contact. Upon touch Cosima pushed further, deepening the kiss. Delphine's mouth opened, accepting Cosima. The kiss was gentle, full of the love that had been building between the two women.  
Cosima broke away. She opened Delphine's suit and wrapped her in her red coat. She took Delphine by the hand and led her back to Cosima's room. This time they women didn't shy away from brushing arms, purposefully having as much contact as possible. Cosima stopped half way to her room, and pushed Delphine against the wall, unable to withhold her need to kiss the blonde again. This time Delphine took control, her tongue gliding against Cosima's bottom lip and entering her mouth. Delphine's arms wrapped around Cosima, pulling her cardigan off and dropping it on the floor.

  
They made it back to Cosima's room. Walking up the stairs to the bed arm in arm.

  
"I've never been with a woman before." Delphine mumbled hesitantly.

  
"Don't worry. We can take it as slow as you like." Cosima replied sweetly.

  
Cosima took off her dress and Delphine removed the coat, placing it on the floor. Cosima stood by the bed and Delphine took her in, she was in a colourful bra and pants, her body was muscular and perfect. The sight of Cosima in front of her sent a wave of lust through Delphine, making her hairs stand on end, and a warmth burn at her core. She pushed Cosima against the bed, suddenly no longer afraid. They kissed. Long, deep kisses full of lust and attraction. Delphine took Cosima's bottom lip between her teeth and bit. Causing Cosima to release a moan, intensifying the burning at Delphine's core and sending goosebumps up her body. Their tongues danced, developing a rhythm almost immediately, as if they were made for each other. The awkwardness of the first kiss had evaporated and both women were testing to see what the other liked. Cosima could taste the wine on Delphine's lips. Each new kiss deepened, hands roaming over unexplored territory.

  
Cosima was slow with Delphine, slowly tracing her fingers along Delphine's arm, down her stomach, avoiding her breasts, not wanting to scare Delphine or make a move that had not been consented.

  
They fell asleep in each other's arms. Twisted around each other perfectly, the curves of each other's body's fitting exactly.

  
Delphine slowly feel into sleep, listening to the deepening of Cosima's breathing, the gentle movement of her chest lulling Delphine to sleep.


	9. Morning

Delphine woke up slowly. The warmth of the double bed keeping her in a sleepy haze. As she became more conscious memories of the night flooded Delphine’s mind, Cosima kissing her, running her hands along the length of her body, sending tingles of goose-bumps in their path, she could almost feel the whispers of the brunette’s touch. Delphine had had so many dreams of Cosima recently, but this time it was real. Delphine’s lips were smiling of their own accord as the memories flooded her.

 

Delphine lay in bed, languishing in the memories of the night before, not daring to even move in case she forgot even a second. In case she forgot the smell of Cosima, her perfume mingled with a herbal, earthy scent. Forgot the softness of the brunette’s lips, face, hands. Forgot her moans as Delphine had traced her tongue over her bottom lip and bit lightly. Forget the way the women seemed to fit together perfectly, matching each other’s rhythms and movements naturally, as if they had been together for a lifetime.

 

Then Cosima shifted beside her. Strong hands slid over Delphine’s waist, tugging her to the brunette, as Cosima’s lips grazed her neck, right under her ear. Delphine arched her back into Cosima in response, while her mouth roved across her throat.

 

“Good morning to you”, Cosima breathed into her ear.

 

Then Cosima pulled away, and Delphine frowned at the loss of her warmth, at the loss of those hands and the feeling of that mouth and that body. She turned, finding Cosima’s hazel eyes pinned on her. Her pupils dilated, giving Delphine a glimpse of Cosima’s desire.

 

Cosima moved. Featherlight kisses brushed over Delphine’s jaw, her cheek.

 

“Mmm, I could wake up like this every day ma chérie”, Delphine murmured into Cosima’s hair as she entwined their fingers, marvelling at the smoothness of her skin.

 

“I can’t stop thinking about that kiss.” Delphine whispered, biting her lip.

 

“Ah, like in a… not-bad way?” Cosima smirked, her eyes on Delphine’s mouth, savouring their every movement.

 

“Oh, like… I have never thought about bisexuality, I mean, for myself, you know? But as a scientist I know sexuality is a spectrum. But, you know, social biases, they codified attraction. Its contrary to the biological facts… you know?”

 

“Mm-hmm. That’s… oddly romantic.” Cosima laughed and a pink blush spread across her cheeks. “And totally encouraging.”

 

Delphine put her hands on Cosima’s face, savouring the softness, she drew Cosima’s face to hers, and their lips met. Cosima put her arm around Delphine bringing the blonde even closer, so their entire bodies were touching. Delphine’s lounge brushed against Cosima’s bottom lip, and Cosima’s mouth opened in response. Their tongues danced, and collided, each woman savouring every moment and breathing in the other woman.

 

The women finally broke apart. They lay in bed hands and legs entwined, both breathing heavily, full of desire.

 

“I could kill for some ice cream.” Delphine said jokingly.

“It’s only breakfast you holligan, I didn’t know the french liked ice-cream for breakfast.”

 

“Mm, oui, it’s a secret, but hush, only French people are allowed to know.”

 

“Mmm. Okay.” Cosima smirked, playing along. “Your wish is my command. I’m going to go to the cafeteria and get us some Eskimo Pies, they better have them on this god-forsaken ship.”

 

“Eskimo?” Delphine asked quizzically.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I don’t think I know it.”

 

“No?” Cosima teased. “You’re so cute. Prepare yourself. You’re about to become a craven addict.” Cosima slowly got out of the bed and let go of Delphine’s hand reluctantly. She went to her wardrobe and put on her red dressing-gown.

 

“I think I already am.” Delphine replied in a velvet voice to which Cosima broke out in a massive, toothy grin.

 

Cosima left, leaving Delphine still in bed. Delphine shuffled over to the side of the bed which Cosima had been sleeping in. She could feel the brunettes warmth still on the pillow and sheet, she could smell her earthy scent, mingled with the freshly washed sheets. Delphine drifted slowly off back to sleep.

 

Just as Delphine had fallen asleep again Cosima re-entered the room.

 

“Del, complete bummer, you’re gonna have to come with me, Eskimo Pies are reserved for gold-class customers only.”

 

“Bummer,” Delphine smirked attempting a mock American accent, her voice husky with sleep.

 

As Cosima stopped when she turned the corner to the bed. Delphine was snuggled up in the duvet and blanket, only her head was visible with her blonde curls spread on the pillows, the rest of her completely submerged under the covers. She looked so adorable Cosima’s breath caught. She had wanted this to happen for the last year and a half, and the reality of the situation hit her like a bomb of happiness.

 

“Well don’t you just look like a snuggled up little puppy,” Cosima grinned.

 

Delphine struggled out of bed, Cosima taking in her amazing figure as she walked to the wardrobe and donned one of Cosima’s loose sets of pyjamas. They were still too small for the blonde, hugging her body in all the right places.

 

“Mm they suit you Cormier. You should borrow my clothes more often.”

 

The women finally made their way to the canteen and Delphine bought them two Eskimo Pies. Cosima unwrapped hers slowly, ensuring that she gave her full attention to the blondes first taste of the ice-cream.

 

Cosima watched as Delphine’s eyes widened at the pleasure, her taste buds experiencing a party of beautiful flavours. “Oh, mon Dieu.” Delphine exclaimed as she took her first bite.

 

Cosima chuckled. “I told you they were good.”

 

Cosima and Delphine walked hand in hand around the ship for the morning, following each other and basking in each other’s company. Cosima had some plant saplings growing in the ships greenhouse which she had to water, so the two women went their separate way after lunch.

 

Delphine made her way to the bar, and decided to continue with her story. “So, I'm seeing someone. You'll never guess who. We're the last two people in the world who would ever get together. But here we are. The last two people in the world.”

 

“What's that?” Scott asked, at Delphine’s mumbling.

 

“I'm writing, Scott. Hush.”


	10. Of Mice and Men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry...  
> Recommended song for this chapter: Heart in my Hands by Andreya Triana

The women met in the cafeteria for a quick dinner. Cosima’s hand grabbed for Delphine across the table. Each woman playing and stroking the others hand while attempting to eat their meal one handed. Cosima looked up from her meal, and found Delphine gazing at her, biting her lip, with her eyes full of yearning and contentment. The look alone was enough to make Cosima go weak at the knees.

 

“God Cormier, are you trying to kill me staring at me like that.” Cosima winked.

 

With that Cosima swiped her arm across the table, shoving the contents of both women’s trays, and the trays onto the floor, leaving the table completely empty. Cosima lifted herself out of her chair and crawled seductively across the short table to Delphine. She took the blondes face in her hands, drawing it toward her, and took Delphine’s mouth in hers in a passionate embrace. The kiss deepened and their teeth clashed. Cosima smoothly climbed off the table, onto Delphine’s lap. She sat on top of Delphine, straddling her. Cosima’s legs wrapped around Delphine’s hips, making Cosima appear to be the taller of the two women for the first time. Delphine moved her head towards Cosima for another kiss, but Cosima pulled back slightly, teasing the blonde. In response Delphine stood, carrying Cosima who was still straddling her hips. Delphine moved effortlessly towards the wall of the canteen, shoving Cosima against it, forcing her to allow their lips to embrace. Cosima moaned in response, a moan which was quickly echoed by Delphine at the intensify of the kiss. Delphine’s hands traced along Cosima’s body, she seemed unphased by the fact that she had been holding Cosima up for minutes, not tiring, too focused on her lust for the brunette.

 

The days began to repeat themselves. All starting and ending with the women intertwined together in bed, mumbling words of love into the others ear while they awoke or were succumbing to sleep. Each day the women spent as much time together as possible, touching and kissing at every possible opportunity like lovesick teenagers. It didn’t take long for Delphine to move her stuff into Cosima’s suite – the larger of the women’s rooms, meaning the women were essentially living together much to both of their satisfaction. The time passed in an instant. Whenever they were together time seemed to race at almost quadruple the normal speed. The women had soon learnt each others strange, endearing habits, each beginning to adopt the habits of the other.

 

Delphine would wake up much earlier than Cosima, it was during this time that she would bask in her happiness. She no longer felt alone. She had never been with anyone who made her feel the way Cosima did.

 

Delphine turned towards the window of the bedroom, the light making Cosima’s dark hair glow. It had been 8 weeks since the night Cosima had kissed her. The best 8 weeks of her life.

 

Later that day Cosima entered the bar where Delphine was writing, she was intensely focused on her work, with her hair up in a loose bun, one of Cosima’s favourite looks. She donned tight black jeans, with a white tank top and black bra slightly visible underneath. Cosima approached her quietly so as not to disrupt her. Cosima’s lips were smiling of their own accord, she cleared her throat when she got close to Delphine, so she didn’t startle her. Delphine made her feel better. As if she could finally breath after months of suffocating.

 

“Bonjour ma chérie.” Delphine grinned, not taking her eyes off her work.

 

How could looking at someone being themselves fill Cosima with such feeling, of both yearning and satisfaction.

 

“Can I read it?”

  
“Sure chérie.” Delphine replied, pushing the laptop to Cosima.

 

“Cosima and I live in accidental happiness. Like castaways, making their home on strange shores.” Cosima read out-loud.

 

“’Strange shores.’ I love it.”

 

“You do? You don't have to say that.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Keep reading.” Delphine commanded.

 

Cosima continued to read out loud. “It's funny. We all have dreams. We plan our futures like we're the captains of our fates. But we're passengers. We go where fate takes us. This isn't the life we planned. But it's ours. And for the first time in my life, I don't feel alone. We weren't supposed to find each other. But we did. She makes me feel like my life isn't over. Like it's just beginning.”

 

As Cosima read her heart was melting. Everything Delphine said she felt exactly the same. But the parts about their meeting being coincidence filled Cosima with dread. She had gone the point of no return. If Delphine found out she had woken her up on purpose she knew the blonde would never be able to forgive her. But, she couldn’t tell her, not now, it was too late, and she couldn’t risk losing the blonde, the only thing that made her feel like her life on the ship wasn’t completely helpless.

 

“Did you find anything that can help us today?” Delphine asked.

 

“I did.” Cosima smiled as she pulled a perfect red rose from inside her coat and handed it over to Delphine.

 

“Is it real?” Delphine asked stunned, brining the rose to her nose and inhaling their scent. It took her back to life on earth, before the voyage, walks through parks in Paris with her friends, naïve happiness.

 

“I cut them myself.”

 

“You know, for two unlucky people, we sure got pretty lucky.” Delphine’s phrase sent an arrow through Cosima’s heart, guilt filling her.

 

“Attention. You may wish to proceed to a viewing area. The Avalon will slingshot around the star Arcturus.” The ship announced.

 

“NO WAY!” Cosima squealed, her whole face bubbling with excitement, “I have always wanted to see a star up close”.

 

“You are such a dork.” Delphine chuckled as she was dragged to the ship’s observatory, which would have the best view in town.

 

“Look!” Delphine exclaimed as the huge bubbling red giant came into view. Expulsions of yellow lava like substances burst out of the star. It was so bright. Photos of stars could not do their beauty justice.

 

“Oh, my God!” Cosima exclaimed, her mouth agape, unable to contain her joy at witnessing the beauty. Delphine was torn between looking at the beautiful star as they passed it by of the brunettes reaction to the star, which filled Delphine with sheer joy.

 

“That. Was. AMAZING.” Cosima whispered once the ship had passed the star by.

 

“A red giant.” Delphine murmured in response. Both women relishing the silence and stillness of the moment.

 

“The universe's present to you.” Cosima said sneakily.

 

“Quoi?” Delphine queried.

 

“Happy birthday Delphine.”

 

Cosima brushed a finger along Delphine’s cheek. The hum of the ship the only sound that could be heard for miles.

 

Cosima lifted onto her toes. She felt Delphine’s eyes on her the whole time, as she kissed the corner of her mouth, the bow of his lips, the other corner.

 

Soft, taunting kisses. Designed to see which of them yielded first.

 

Delphine did.

 

With a sharp intake of breath, Delphine gripped Cosima’s hips, tugging the brunette against her as she slanted her mouth over Cosima’s, deepening the kiss until her knees threatened to buckle. Delphine’s tongue brushed Cosima’s – lazy, deft strokes that told her precisely what she was capable of doing elsewhere.

 

Embers sparked in Cosima’s blood. Cosima broke the kiss, breath ragged, satisfied to find Delphine’s own chest rising and falling in an uneven rhythm. So new – this thing between them was so new, so… raw. Utterly consuming. The desire was only the start of it.

 

Cosima led Delphine from the observatory to her favourite restaurant on the ship. She’d chosen Delphine’s favourite table, next to a huge window looking out onto the stars. The women shared a bottle of the ships best red wine. The meal was filled with heated glances. There were long periods of no conversation, during which the women would hold eye contact, with unspoken words of desire passing.

 

“You know, it’s really, really good to finally meet someone who gets it.” Delphine spoke with a glass of red wine in her hand, and her bottom lip between her teeth.

 

“Hmm.” Cosima nodded in agreement, smiling.

 

“Who gets me.”

 

“Yeah ditto. Obvs.”

 

Cosima moved her leg to Delphine’s under the table, stroking her foot up Delphine’s leg. Craving any and every possible touch. Delphine’s eyes kept locked on Cosima’s, studying her, watching her pupils dilate with desire.

 

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Delphine. Happy birthday to you”, a group of the restaurant robots came trailing out the kitchen singing, one of them carrying a lit cake.

 

Delphine went bright red with embarrassment, even though Cosima was the only other person in the restaurant. A huge smile beamed from her face.

 

“Cosima. Mon Dieu. Are you trying to embarrass me.” Delphine joked.

 

“Poor little puppy.” Cosima smirked in response.

 

They left the restaurant and returned to the bar.

 

“A birthday drink for the birthday girl.” Scott announced as he placed two bubbling glasses of champagne in front of the women.

 

“Aren't you going to ask for my ID? I might not be old enough to drink.”

 

“I would never ask your age in front of your date.” Scott replied wittily.

“There's no secrets between me and Cosima.”

 

“Is that so?” Scott asked, looking directly at Cosima.

 

“You heard the lady.” Cosima answered back, guilt filling her.

 

Cosima got up, excusing herself to go and grab Delphine’s present. “I will be right back.”

 

“This is a perfect birthday drink. Thank you Scott.”

 

“I remember this day a year ago. Cosima was so looking forward to meeting you.”

 

“What? How could she be looking forward to it?” Delphine asked agape. Delphine’s pod had been opened because the ship malfunctioned, their was no way Cosima could have known she would wake up.

 

“Oh she spent months deciding whether to wake you up. She couldn't stop talking about you.”

 

“Cosima woke me up?” Delphine’s heart had stopped. She couldn’t breath. Cosima had woken her up. Everything had been a lie. Cosima had destined her to death on this stupid ship, and had lied to her about it every. Single. Day. She had come to trust Cosima so greatly, she had given everything to her in the past few months. Delphine realised she had been so so stupid.

 

“Yes. She said it was the hardest decision of her life. But I see it worked out just fine.”

 

Cosima returned to the bar, a black box with a gold ribbon in her hand. Delphine heard her shoes clicking on the granite floor, and spun on her chair, giving her a death stare.

 

“What?” Cosima asked, shocked at the sudden, complete change of atmosphere that had taken grip of the bar in the brief moment she had been gone.

 

“Did you wake me up?” Delphine asked, tears streaming down her face. She was barely able to get the words out, not wanting to hear the answer.

 

“Yes, I woke you up.” Delphine’s heart broke in that instant. It was like a shock went through her, shuddering up her body violently. She couldn’t comprehend what Cosima had said.

 

“How... How could you do it?” Delphine finally managed to spit out. Complete rage and disgust filling her. She couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her face, her body began to shake and she had to grip onto the side of the bar to remain standing. A unending pit of sadness swallowed Delphine whole, it seemed to go on and on, she had completely lost control of her hold on her emotions, and was spiralling into the abyss. Cosima had betrayed her, lied to her. The worst thing was that Delphine had never felt such trust and comfort with another person before, but it had all been a lie, that is what hurt Delphine the most.

 

“I tried not to.” Cosima uttered, knowing that she was completely in the wrong, that she had just broke Delphine. Their relationship was never going to mend. Tears began falling down Cosima’s face, how could she have taken Delphine’s life away from her.

 

“I'm gonna be sick. I can't see.”

 

“Delphine, please...” Cosima made to take a step towards Delphine, in an attempt to calm her.

 

“Stay away from me!”

 

Delphine staggered from the bar, one hand clutching her chest, the other reaching out, in an attempt to grab any object that might provide her support so she didn’t crumble to the floor. She moved as fast as she possibly could to the lobby elevator, going straight to her and Cosima’s room. Delphine was flooded with memories as soon as she entered their shared bedroom, each memory sending bolts of betrayal through her. Delphine strode up to the wardrobe and grabbed all her clothes. Heaving them with a strength that she didn’t realise she still had left in her all the way back to her original room, alone.

 

Both women had lost their sole source of companionship, their only friend, their only lover and partner, in an instant. Both their hearts had been shattered, they would ever be able to repair fully.

 

Once Delphine had reached her room and was fully alone, that is when she really broke down. She grabbed a vase on her table and threw it at the window of her room. She then picked up plate after plate, trying to get rid of her anger and frustration.

 

“I can't get off this ship. I can't get off this ship. I can't get off… this… ship.” Delphine shouted, her shouts gradually giving way to sobs. Her legs collapsed under her and she crumpled onto the floor. Tears flooding her vision so she could no longer see anything in front of her. She didn’t know how long she lay on the floor, curled in a ball sobbing. Her sadness and sense of betrayal seemingly unending.


	11. Alone again... naturally

Cosima awoke from a fitful sleep, the worst night she had had since the day she realised she was stranded on the ship alone for the rest of her life. Cosima reached, expecting to find Delphine’s warm body sprawled out across the other half of the bed. Then the sleep haze passed. She remembered all that had happened the night before. The look in Delphine’s eyes Cosima saw when she had returned from the toilet, the betrayal painted across the blonde’s face. And worse, the way Delphine’s voice had broken when she tried to shout at Cosima, the devastation. How she had broken down while trying to leave the bar, her feet almost collapsing from under her. The way she flinched from Cosima’s touch. All of the pain the blonde was feeling was completely her fault.

 

Cosima no longer knew what to do with herself. Delphine obviously wasn’t going to be talking to her anytime soon, if ever again. She tossed and turned in bed, trying to think of anything she could do for the day, but without the blonde to keep her company everything seemed pointless, like the fun had been sucked out of her life.

 

By midday hunger was gnawing at Cosima’s stomach. She decided to get out of bed and go to the cafeteria and get food. She traced the route her and Delphine had taken together multiple times a day for what felt like forever. Ever corridor and twist filled with thousands of memories.

 

_“Ma cherie” Delphine murmured in Cosima’s mouth in-between kisses._

_Delphine pulled back to study Cosima’s face. She kissed her again, soft and lingering, the brunettes body melting into hers. Cosima savoured the silkiness of Delphine’s skin as she ran a hand down her arm, reaching her hand and entwining their fingers._

_Cosima leant on the blonde, forcing her back so she was pressed against the corridor wall. Delphine moved her body forward, so every possible inch of the women’s body was touching, heat and desire radiating between them as if they were one. Delphine lifted Cosima up slowly, the brunette wrapping her legs around the blonde’s waist as she did so. Cosima, now higher up than Delphine, moved her face down, taking the blonde’s lips._

_“So this is what it’s like to be the taller one”, Cosima smirked, her talking quickly cut of by Delphine’s mouth._

_Slowly Delphine carried Cosima all the way back to the room, kisses distracting the blonde so the progress was slow._

 

Cosima was staring at the floor when she entered the cafeteria, enveloped in her memories of Delphine. She walked almost silently. The sound of someone crying silently and the shuffling of cutlery snapped Cosima out of her trance. Delphine was sat at a table, head down staring at her untouched food, moving it slowly around the plate with her knife and fork. Tears were streaking down the blondes face, her eyes puffy, with big bags, showing her lack of sleep.

 

Cosima’s silent steps meant that Delphine hadn’t heard her enter. Cosima made her steps louder, trying to warn the blonde of her presence so that she did not startle her. Seeing Delphine’s state ripped at Cosima, breaking her heart into even smaller pieces.

 

Delphine’s head snapped up at the sound of footsteps. “Oh, God.” She muttered. She shoved her plate away from her and ran out of the canteen, not so much as looking at Cosima.

 

The days passed slowly. Both women carefully timed when they went out of their rooms so as to avoid each other. Cosima did so so that she did not hurt Delphine any further, while Delphine avoided Cosima to avoid the agony she felt when seeing the brunette.

 

While wandering the ship, avoiding Delphine, trying to find something to occupy herself Cosima discovered the ships surveillance centre. It had live feeds from all the security camera’s on the ship and a microphone for the ships attendants to broadcast messages to passengers.

 

Cosima spend her days in the surveillance centre, watching the routine that Delphine quickly developed. Every day without fail Delphine would go for a jog around the ship at 5am, running an almost identical route every morning. She would then visit the ship’s pool – a activity she continued from when the two were together.

 

Seeing the blonde living her life without destroyed Cosima. The blonde was seemingly fine, while Cosima could barely function. Being able to see her, but not talk to her, was the worst part.

 

Cosima hijacked the ships broadcasting stream, meaning that she could use the microphone to broadcast herself life to the entire ship. She needed to talk to Delphine. And as the days passed her self-restraint slowly dwindled. One morning she woke up early so that she would be in the surveillance centre before Delphine had got up for her run. 5am being the only time she was certain as to where Delphine would be.

 

“Can I talk to you? Delphine, I know nothing I can say will make this okay. But please listen. I was so alone for so long. It felt like I was disappearing. The night I first saw you, I was ready to... You saved my life. And I know that's no excuse for what I did. I read everything you wrote, and I fell in love with your voice and with the way your mind works. I fell in love with you. And all of a sudden, it was like I wasn't trapped anymore. My pointless life suddenly had meaning. And I wish I could take it back. But I can't. Delphine, I don't want to lose you.”

 

Cosima watched Delphine on the screen as she announced her message. The blonde stopped jogging and stood stone still. Her face was only a blur, the ships camera’s weren’t HD, so Cosima couldn’t see the blondes reaction. But once Cosima had finished she heard the blonde shouting, the quality of sound so bad she could barely tell it was Delphine.

 

“I don't care! I don't care what you want! I don't care why you woke me up! You took my life!”

 

Delphine ran off, straight back to her room, and Cosima saw no trace of her for the next day.

 

Cosima had also taken to spending her time in the ships ‘garden’, where all the plants that were going to be used for colonisation were kept frozen. She had started cultivating some crops in the ship itself, unfreezing them. The ship had everything from flowers to wheat and pumpkin plants.

 

As Cosima worked on the plants she listened to Delphine’s books, to her recordings that she had made before the journey, the same ones she had listened to while deciding to wake up Delphine. Although every word out of her mouth in her velvet accent sent sharp shots of pain through Cosima she still listened. It was the closest she was going to get to talking to Delphine now.

 

_“Is there anything you regret leaving behind?”_

_“Yeah, I'll miss the trees in Paris turning in the autumn.”_

 

Cosima’s heart stopped. Trees. Shed stuck Delphine on this ship for the rest of her life. She was going to try and make the ship as similar to home as she could for Delphine, not in the hope of forgiveness, what she had done was so bad she would probably would never be forgiven. But out of love. For no reason other than hopefully making the blonde a tiny bit happier, even if she would never be able to witness her happiness first-hand.  


	12. Failures and Memories

A loud robotic voiced pierced Delphine’s dreams, jolting her awake, from one of the best nights sleeps she had had since she had been sleeping alone. “Please stand by. Your suite's control centre is rebooting.”

As her eyes adjusted to the pitch blackness, penetrated only by the faint glow of the millions of stars visible from her window, she noticed that she was infact no longer in her bed, but floating in the centre of the room. She felt weightless, much like the evening Cosima had taken her outside the ship. The vase from her bedside table floated past her, knocking gently into her leg. Next to it her alarm clock spun, 3:24 am.

“Suites gravity restored.” The voice droned, as Delphine was slammed to her suite floor. She hit the solid granite floor on her side hard. All her possessions that had been floating along with her smashed on the floor at the same time, the vase smashing into hundreds of pieces.

“Merde.” Delphine shouted on impact, knowing the length of her right side would likely be bruised by the morning.

 

When Delphine awoke again later in the morning, this time snug in bed, she shot up remembering the nights antics. The sudden movement sent a shooting pain down Delphine’s side, causing her eyes to water. Instead of moving far, Delphine merely reached for her laptop, tucked away in the draw by her bed, and spent the morning writing.

 

Later that day Delphine slowly made her way to the bar, to talk to Arthur, her sole remaining companion. Taking care not to move too quickly, as any movement at all put the right side of her body through agony.

Delphine had taken to venting to Scott, unable to process her frustration any other way.

“I envy you, Scott.”

“How so?”

“You have a purpose. You're always happy.”

“How's your book coming along?” Scott replied, sidestepping the awkward conversation, his computer system obviously unable to respond to such emotion.

“I've never written about myself before. I think it's some of the best work I've ever done, and I don't even know why I'm doing it. There's only one person who could read it, and I can't stand to be near her.”

“They say time heals all wounds.” He responded.

“Broken hearts aren't that simple, Scott. You wouldn't understand.” Delphine became silent, contemplating her sorrow and loneliness.

“Scotty!” Cosima shouted from the entrance of the bar. As she turned the corner, she saw Delphine. Their eyes met, and Cosima’s smile instantly disappeared. Both women had carefully avoided each other for over a week, since Cosima’s last attempt to beg Delphine for forgiveness. Awkwardness enveloped the room, Delphine quickly glancing away from Cosima, forcing herself not to check out the brunette, not to study her face, so that she didn’t see the deep sadness written all over her face, a emotion similarly reflected in the blondes.

“Tuesday's my day with Arthur,” Delphine spoke quietly.

“It's Wednesday.” Cosima responded.

“The bar's all yours.” Delphine snapped, getting up quickly trying to escape, a movement she immediately regretted as her right side burst into flames, causing her to stammer forward, her hand going to cradle her bruised side.

Worry overcame Cosima’s face, although Delphine wasn’t looking at her to notice.

“What'll you have? Red?” Delphine heard Scott ask Cosima as she slowly made her way to her room.

“Coffee.” Cosima responded solemly.

 

Once back in her room Delphine turned her laptop on. She felt so alone. After searching her computer trying to find something to distract herself Delphine stumbled upon the video recordings her friends from earth had recorded for her before she left. Each passanger was aloted a certain amount of memory space on the ships database to store messages from friends and loved ones.

“Delphine! We love you! What are we gonna do without you? We'll miss you so...” her close friend Helena shouted into the camera.

“You're the bravest woman I know.” Kira echoed.

Then a video of Delphine’s closest friend Tatiana started playing. The familiarity of her face, and her expressions causing Delphine to ache, longing to be home. “Bye, Delphine! I promise that I will think of you every day. When you wake up, I'll be gone, but just know that I will never forget you. You're my best friend. You were never happy here. I know. Nothing was ever enough for you. You know, you don't have to go. You could do whatever it is you have to do right here. But... Since you're going, here's my wish. I hope you finally find someone who fills your heart, and I hope you let them in. I hope you realize you don't have to do something amazing to be happy. You know, have fun, take chances. Okay. I love you, Delphine. Bye.


	13. Awakened 3

"Morning, Arthur! Coffee, please.” Cosima chirped after a very successful morning. She was covered head to toe in dirt, a stray leaf still lodged in her hair.

“Coming up. Are you soiling my barstool?”

“You want to make things, you got to get your hands dirty.” Cosima winked. She almost felt happy for the first time in what seemed like a long time.

“And what have you been making?”

“Improvements,” She smirked.

 

After downing her coffee Cosima left the bar, slowly wandering back to her suite to freshen up and have a shower before lunch.

A loud female voice with a Irish accent boomed through the ship’s intercom, disrupting Cosima’s train of thought. “This is Deck Chief Siobhan Sadler. Who the hell planted a tree on my ship?”

What the hell, someone else must be awake. Cosima turned and ran straight to the ships centre, in search of the source of the voice.

Cosima stood stock still as she saw a woman with brown hair wondering the ship. She had a gentle face and looked to be in her mid 40’s. The brown haired woman turned and met Cosima’s gaze.

“Who did that?” She asked in her Irish accent, pointing at the tree that now stood in the centre of the ship.

“I did.” Cosima replied sheepishly, feeling like a naughty child.

“And who are you?”

“Cosima Niehaus.” Cosima was so shocked by this woman’s presence that she had failed to notice Delphine’s arrival.

The new lady then turned to face Delphine.

“Delphine Cormier.” Delphine spoke, her voice emphasising the shock she was obviously also feeling.

“Anybody else awake?”

“Just me and her.” Delphine responded begrudgingly.

“How far along are we?”

“Eighty-eight years to go. Hibernation failure,” Cosima answered this time.

“They said that couldn't happen.”

Cosima and Delphine simultaneously shrugged, to which Siobhan said, “Three people, three pod failures.” At that Delphine’s gaze turned piercingly to Cosima, both women thinking exactly the same thing, _three people, two pod failures._

 

Siobhan quickly started marching to the ships control centre, knowing exactly where she was going. She swiped her wrist band at the control panel on the entrance door, and it opened smoothly.

“You have no idea how long I've been trying to get in there.” Cosima scoffed, remembering the endless tools she had attempted to bring the door down with.

“Now that you're in, don't touch anything.”

“This is where you work?” Delphine asked, she had been silent for since her brief responses in the ships centre.

“No, this is flight crew. I'm a deck chief.”

Siobhan moved into the centre of the room, where there was a huge control panel, with a 3D holographic image of the ship hovering.

“If I'm reading this right, we're still on course. So whatever's wrong with the ship, NavCom is still on the job.”

“There's something wrong with the ship?” Cosima questioned.

“Three pod failures? Yeah, there's something wrong. Question is what.” Siobhan replied.

She continued to press buttons on the ships control centre. “That's strange. We should be getting diagnostics from all over the ship right here, but there's no data. That means we’ve got to check all the systems manually.”

“Can't we turn the ship around, go back to Earth?” Delphine suggested.

“No, we're doing 50% of light speed. Turning back would take just as much time as going on.”

“Well, there's got to be something we can do.” Delphine plead.

“Sorry. We're going where we're going.” Siobhan responded. As she responded she lost her footing and tripped falling, only rescued by Cosima’s quick grab of her arm.

“You okay?” Cosima asked.

“Hibernation hangover. Get it all the time.”

 

“So you’ve been stuck awake for two years?” Siobhan asked, looking empathetically at both Delphine and Cosima.

“Any more trees I need to know about?” She joked, trying to diffuse the obvious tension between the two women.

“Look out!” Delphine shrieked as a cleaner bot fell from a shops balcony straight into Siobhan’s path.

“These robots have been breaking down.” Cosima said. “This guy makes fifteen.”

“Last week, my door broke. I was trapped in my cabin for two days.” Delphine added.

“You were?” Cosima questioned, her eyes meeting Delphine’s, a look of pure concern and sadness filling them.

“Things like that don't happen. Not on this ship. There are 16 of these tech stations on every deck. We’ve got to check them all, see if we can this out and find out what is causing these problems.” Siobhan said, worry in her tone. She handed Delphine and Cosima a long tablet like gadget each.

“Dock your slate.” She demonstrated. “Data syncs automatically. Got it chickens?”

“Yeah.” Cosima and Delphine responded in unison.

“Cosima, you take decks one and two. Delphine take decks three and four. I'm going down to the hibernation bay, check our pods.”

“Well, that should be interesting.” Delphine uttered to Cosima once Siobhan was out of earshot. Filing Cosima immediately with guilt.

Even though they had only just met Siobhan Cosima felt a immediate motherly bond with her, the thought of her discovering what she had done filled her with fear. Cosima rushed to do her checks and made her way to the hibernation bay.

“Ain't you supposed to be making your rounds?” Siobhan chirped as Cosima came and stood by her.

“I'm finished.”

“I checked your pod. Problem's very simple. The clock chip's burnt out. It ain't supposed to happen, but pretty simple. My pod's more complicated. Bunch of system failures that all happened at the same time. Whole damn thing went haywire. Explains why I'm feeling so bad. But Delphine’s pod... You did this.”

“Yeah.”

“All this time, I'm thinking you're one lucky son of a bitch to get stuck with Delphine. It wasn't luck, was it?”

“No.”

“She knows?” Siobhan asked, shock in her voice but kindness beneath.

“She knows.”

“How long were you alone?”

“A year.”

“Still... Damn.”

 

The three returned to the ships control centre and placed there tablets with all the data into the main system. “Interpolating data,” The computer spoke.

“System shutdowns... Everywhere, but no apparent connection.” Siobhan said confused.

“That’s enough for now chickens, leave me and ill look at this data. Ill see you in the morning.” Siobhan spoke.

Cosima turned from the room and bid the two goodnight, not wanting to be left alone with Delphine, who had made it obvious she didn’t want to be around her.

“You saw the hibernation pods?” Delphine asked Siobhan once Cosima was out of earshot.

“I saw them.” Siobhan replied solemnly.

“So you know what Cosima did.”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

“It's not my...”

“She woke me up. She took away my life,” tears streamed Delphine’s face.

“I know, and I'm sorry, but there's work I'd...”

“It's murder.”

“You're right, Delphine.”

“But the drowning man will always try and drag somebody down with him. It ain't right, but the man's drowning.”

 

Siobhan’s eyes suddenly rolled into the back of her head, and she collapsed. She feel smack onto the control centre floor.

Delphine knelt down, and supported Siobhan’s head, attempting to help her back up. Siobhan had gone deathly pale and looked extremely ill.

“Hey. You okay?” Delphine asked, extremely concerned. “You should go rest.”

“Yeah. But just a couple hours, and then back at it first thing in the morning.”


	14. Just remember, my loves...

Delphine woke up 5 in the morning, the excitement of Siobhan having woken up and the new feeling of hope meant she had a restless night. She still hadn’t grown accustomed to the cold patch on the side of the bed where Cosima used to sleep, or the missing arms that used to hold her while she slept. Delphine dreamt of earth, and her friends back at home. After several failed attempts at trying to fall back asleep, knowing neither Cosima or Siobhan would be up early, she gave up and decided to go to the pool for a swim.

Everytime she went to the ships pool it took her breath away. It felt she was swimming through the stars, the twinkling of far away galaxies catching the water making it glisten. The silence and serenity filled Delphine with a strange feeling of calm that she only normally felt when surrounded by the people she loved.

While she was in the middle of a length of the pool, red lights around the pool started flashing. Panic filled her. _“Merde, this can’t mean anything good.”_ She thought.

That’s when the gravity gave way. The water from the pool started floating out of the basin, forming giant, floating bubbles of water. It would have been a beautiful sight. Huge quantaties of water floated from the area surrounded Delphine. Then the water surrounding her also started to float, forming another floating bubble of water. Delphine was trapped inside it, like a chick in an egg. She tried kicking her legs and pushing against the water with her arms, trying to gain the momentum to force her head out of the bubble of water, so that she could breath. But her struggle was fruitless. However much strength she put in she only moved a millimetre or so.

As the seconds ticked on Delphine’s need for air grew more and more. She was slowly running out of breath. She knew she had less than a minute until she drowned. Her muscles felt weak, her attempts at pushing against the water become more and more weak, as her muscles were starved of oxygen.

_“I’m going to die on this ship, alone, completely and utterly alone,”_ repeated itself over and over in Delphine’s mind.

Her vision started to go patchy, she needed to air, soon. She started counting in her head, an attempt to calm herself down. _“zero, un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept…”_

Then everything went black.

Delphine felt like she was floating, she felt like a baby in her mother’s womb, being tossed and turned, there was silence. She strained her ears trying to hear something, anything, as she strained she began to hear a gentle humming. It sounded so familiar, yet she couldn’t place it. The humming got louder and louder. Her eyes felt heavy, heavier than they had ever felt before. She tried to force them open, but the effort was too great. Again, and again she tried. Until finally, they opened a crack. She could see the pool ceiling above her. She could feel cold air on her cheeks. Then she remembered, she drew in a huge breath of air, forcing herself to the side of the pool. Her diaphragm started to spasm, she coughed up water, cough after cough, followed by huge breaths of air, replacing the water in her lungs with air. She lay on the side of the pool, like a drowned puppy. All her energy focused on breathing, the thought of moving was too much.

After what felt like hours she slowly got up, and staggered to the changing rooms. She dried herself off and changed into her dry clothes. She had to find Siobhan and Cosima now. The ships gravity giving away for so long could not be a good sign.

 

First Delphine went to Cosima’s room, but she was not there, she silently cursed under her breath, of course Cosima wouldn’t be in the first place she looked, she liked to cause Delphine as much hastle as possible. Delphine wondered around the ship, trying to find Cosima. Then she heard the humming, the same humming that had drawn her from the blackness of drowning. She moved towards it, louder and louder the humming got, perfect pitch and tone, it sounded like a song of the Gods. Delphine was so entranced by the music that she slammed straight into Cosima. The humming abruptly stopped.

“Ouch! Watch out would you,” Cosima cursed, but then she turned and saw it was Delphine.

“Oh… sorry Delphine.” She said, stepping back to give her space.

“ _Non_ , it was my fault, sorry.” Delphine replied apologetically, neither woman making eye contact with the other. Silence fell around them. Neither woman moving.

“Cosima, was that you humming?” Delphine asked suddenly breaking the silence.

“Umm.. yeah that was me,” Cosima laughed awkwardly.

“It was beautiful.”

Cosima looked stunned, she was completely taken aback, she gave the blonde a sad smile as thanks.

“I was in the pool when the gravity gave out.” Delphine announced, breaking the awkwardness.

“Are you okay?”

Delphine nodded. “ _Oui juste_. We need to find Siobhan.”

The two made their way to Siobhans room, keeping a good distance between them, neither of them saying anything. They were nearly at Siobhans room when Cosima almost silently said, “Where’s my love.”

“ _Pardon?”_ Delphine responded, confused, as they kept on walking.

“That’s the song I was humming, I used to hum it to you while you were asleep.” Cosima said solemnly. Delphine’s heart broke yet again. The two continued on to Siobhans room.

 

“Siobhan! Siobhan!” Delphine shouted while knocking on her door. She then explained what had happened to her in the pool.

“Gravity loss means that whatever's wrong is starting to hit the big-ticket items. Not good. Every failure's a burnt out processor. Everything on board's thinking too hard.” Siobhan said worried.

“We need to get to the control centre again.”

\-------

“The computer, display these failures over time. It started two years ago. Power surge. Seventeen failures in one day. Including hibernation pod 1498.” Siobhan said as she analysed the ships data systems.

“That's me. Woke me up.” Cosima said.

“What happened that day?” Delphine asked.

“Something big. A major system went down somewhere. Everything else on board is trying to pick up the load, but the load's too heavy. Whatever started this, we got to find it. And fix it.”

“How bad can this get?” Delphine said worry in her tone.

“Give me risk analysis based on this data.” Siobhan asked the ship in response.

“A mission-critical failure is imminent. Failing systems. Life Support, Fusion Reactor, Hibernation Bay, Ion Drive...” The ship responded

“So we're stranded. On a sinking ship.” Cosima said, resignation in her voice.

“No, not definitely, not a lot of things big enough to hit this ship that hard. With Diagnostics out, we'll have to find it ourselves. But there is hope.” Siobhan said.

“Where do we start?”

Then Siobhan collapsed.

“Siobhan!” Both Cosima and Delphine shouted in unison.

Siobhan was on the floor, convulsing, blood was coming out of her mouth. She was deathly pale, it looked like she hadn’t slept in years, her eyes were surrounded by black rims.

The control centre had a medical dock, which Cosima and Delphine put Siobhan into.

“Scan complete. Analyzing data.” It announced. By the time it was complete Siobhan had returned to consciousness.

“What's it say is wrong with me?” she croaked.

“612 disorders found.” The machine responded.

“What's the prognosis?”

“Critical diagnoses cannot be discussed without a ship doctor in attendance.”

“Override on my authority. ID 32421,” Siobhan said, swiping her wrist band on the machine, “lay it on me, doc.”

“Pansystemic necrosis. Progressive organ failure. Cause, unknown.” Delphine gasped when the ship announced this.

“My goofy hibernation pod. That's the cause. What's the treatment?”

“Various treatments are possible. None will meaningfully extend the patient's life.” The machine responded.

“How long have I got?”

“Your end-of-life transition is already underway. These sedatives will alleviate your suffering during these final hours.” Two white pills popped out of the machine.

“Siobhan.” Delphine uttered, reaching for the woman and surrounding her in a warm embrace.

“I need a minute.” Siobhan said, staggering off alone. Delphine and Cosima stood in shock, allowing Siobhan to walk off.

 

\-----

Cosima and Delphine were wondering the ship trying to find Siobhan.

They found her in the ship’s observatory. Her breathing was raspy, each breath shallow and clearly requiring a huge amount of effort. She turned slowly when she heard Cosima and Delphine approaching.

“Should've took the damn pills.” She murmered.

“I'll go get them.” Cosima offered.

“No. Stay here with me. Sit down.” Siobhan said solemnly, clearly aware she only had a few remaining moments. Cosima and Delphine sat either side of her, each taking one of her hands in their own.

“You two take care of each other.”

“My ID.” She handed her wristband to Delphine. “Get you where you need to go. Fix the ship. Find out what's wrong with her.”

Siobhan rested her head on Cosima’s shoulder, the effort of holding it up had become to much. Each breath became shallower, until finally both women could barely hear Siobhans shallow breathing. The three sat in silence watching the universe spin around them while Siobhan took her final breaths.


	15. Into the Abyss

Cosima and Delphine organised a small funeral for Siobhan. Cosima dressed in a suit and donned a bow tie. Delphine wore black, lacey dress. The two met in the ships main lobby, and walked to the passenger flight centre in mournful silence – where what felt like decades ago the two put on astronaut suits and floated around in space while on their first proper date. They had put Siobhan in her captain uniform, and laid her on a mattress surrounded by hundreds of flowers all colours of the rainbow, which Cosima had been growing in the ships biology centre. From control centre inside they opened the lock hatch to space, and Siobhan floated out into space, the flowers all floating around her, such that she was soon surrounded by hundreds of flowers, cocooned by them, like the insides of a seed surrounded by a shell.

 

As they watched Siobhan float of into the millions of stars Delphine recited a note they had found in Siobhan’s room. She had asked them to send it as a message to her family at home, in the hope some of them would still be alive to receive it when it finally reached earth.

 

_“Just remember my loves, death is nothing at all,_

_I have only slipped into the next room,_

_you can call me by my old familiar name,_

_put no sorrow in your tone,_

_I promise that we will laugh about this difficult passing when we meet again.”_

 

Tears fell down the faces of both women, like raindrops along a car window. Even though they had only known Siobhan for a few days they had connected, she had begun to feel like their second mother, her loss caused nothing but pain.

 

“Want to go get a drink?” Cosima asked Delphine sadly after Siobhan had disappeared into the distance.

 

“Oui, I think that would be good.” Delphine sniffed in reply, both women feeling comfort in the presence of the other.

 

Cosima and Delphine slowly made their way to the bar, the two of them alone on the ship once again. But before they managed to reach the bar the ships lighting went out, instead replaced by flashing red emergency lights, and a deafening siren.

 

“This can't be good.” Cosima shouted over the siren.

 

“Non, this is what happened to me in the pool just before the gravity went out.”

 

“I'm going back to Engineering.” Cosima replied, the panic in her voice raising.

 

“Can you fix this?”

 

“I need your help.”

 

“Let's go.” Delphine responded, the two taking off at a sprint to engeneering.

 

As they got to the ships centre the gravity momentarily gave out. Lifting everything into the air. The loss of gravity was only momentary. Meaning that both women were essentially thrown high into the air and then slammed back down to earth.

 

“Shit! You alright Delphine?” Cosima cursed as they landed on the ground with a crash.

Delphine nodded, grimacing in reply.

 

They sprinted past the bar, but stopped suddenly as they saw Scott stood behind the bar, picking up glass after glass and smashing them together, sending shards of glass all over the floor and counter.

 

“Scotty!” Cosima shouted. She ran over to the counter and jumped over, scrambling on the floor around Scott’s leg’s trying to find his power supply and unplug him to prevent further damage.

 

“Merde, things are getting a lot worse so quickly.” Delphine muttered.

 

“Let’s go.” Cosima said, running past Delphine after successfully unplugged Scott.

 

They reached main engineering without any more gravity losses, but the red flashing lights and sirens had not stopped.

 

“Can't we wake up some of the crew? They might know what to do.” Delphine suggested.

 

“It'll take them too long to recover. We don't have that kind of time.”

 

“What are we even looking for?” Delphine questioned, following Cosima around the engineering area, trying to find something that might be causing the problem.

 

“Something broken. Something big.”

 

Cosima grunted as she tried to pull out one of the ships power cell compartments.

 

“Is it broken?” Delphine asked.

 

“It seems okay.”

 

“What's next?”

 

“Power plant. This way.” They made their way to a different section of the engeneering centre, but one of the doors was locked and wouldn’t open. Cosima repeatedly swipped Siobhans wristband towards the lock system, and it flashed a green light, meaning the door should open.

 

“The whole section's closed off. Something's wrong.” Cosima cursed.

 

“We're looking for wrong. Try to open it.” Delphine suggested.

 

Cosima leaned on the door, forcing all her weight against it and it opened an inch.

 

“Warning. Pressure fault. Lockdown initiated. Please secure all doors.”

 

Air hissed through the tiny gap in the door, and a freezing breeze came though the crack. It felt like all the oxygen on the ship was being sucked out the door. Cosima and Delphine struggled to breath, drawing big breaths but obtaining no oxygen.

 

“Warning. Dangerous oxygen level. Please secure all doors. Dangerous oxygen level. Please secure all doors.” The ships alert system blaired.

 

Cosima let go of the door, trying to shut it, but the gap wouldn’t close. If it stayed open  much longer they would both suffocate, and so would all the dormant passengers of the ship. Delphine staggered over to what looked like a fire extinguisher clutching her chest. It was a canister that sprayed a metal like substance, meant to fill in any holes in the ship. She sprayed it at the crack in the door. Filling the gap in and stopping the escape of the remaining oxygen.

 

“Pressure normalized. Oxygen level restored.” The ship announced.

 

“There's a...” Cosima gasped, stuggling to regain her breath. “…a hole in the ship.”

 

“How did that even happen?” Delphine uttered, dumbfounded.

 

“The ship's supposed to be meteor-proof. I guess one got through.”

 

The two then made their way to the third section of engineering. The power core of the ship. Cosima opened the door and a wall of heat hit them. The power core was behind a thick glass window, it looked like a huge fireball spinning around and around a metal core.

 

“Fuck it's hot.” Cosima swore.

 

“I think we found it. The problem.” Delphine confirmed. Both women were gazing at a huge circular power system in the right of the room that had a gaping big meteor sized hole through it. The ship was meant to be meteorite proof, but apparently not.

 

“It's the reactor-control computer.”

 

“Cosima... How can we fix this? We're gonna die.” The hopelessness of the situation stuck Delphine. Neither of them knew how the ship was built or any of the mechanical details about the ship. They were stuck on a ship that was about to explode. Panic started to build inside Delphine, she felt like she was not only boiling from the outside because of the ships reactor failure, but from the inside from stress.

 

“There's replacement parts for everything.” Cosima responded, her voice calm and sturdy, grounding Delphine.

 

The two ran as fast as they could to the ships replacement part section. Cosima managed to find the exact piece that would replace the hole in the power system. They made their way back t engineering quickly, carrying the part together.

 

“Soon as I pull this module, the entire computer's gonna shut down.” Cosima stated once she had figured out what she needed to do.

 

“Well, what happens then?” Delphine said panicked.

 

“I'll get it back up as quickly as I can.”

 

Cosima pulled the leaver and everything went black, except for a few flashing lights on the control machines.

 

“Hurry! Cosima!” Delphine murmered in encouragement.

 

“Okay. That should be it done.” Cosima spoke.

 

Almost as soon as she said that the ship announced, “Control computer restored.”

 

“Yes!” Cosima shouted, high fiving Delphine. But the heat in the room was still building, and the fireball behind the glass was getting more and more violent

 

Another leaver popped out of the control centre.

 

“When I pull this the reactor will vent, so hopefully, some of the heat and fire will escape from the core, and the ship’s should be restored to how it is meant to be.” Cosima said to Delphine.

 

She pulled the leaver.

 

“Venting reactor.” The ship announced.

 

A huge metal cylinder ejected down over the fireball, slamming it so that it slammed against the glass wall. The heat continued to build.

 

“Reactor vent failed.” The ship announced.

 

“But we fixed it!” Delphine shouted angrily.

 

Cosima pulled the leaver again.

 

“Reactor vent failed. Manual override required. Vent failure.”

 

“Come on!” Cosima cursed

 

She tried pulling the leaver one more time.

 

“Reactor vent failed. Outer door nonresponsive.”

 

“What does that mean?” Delphine said, her anger building. They had repaired everything, this should be working.

 

“The outer door is jammed. We've got to open that door and cool the reactor down, or the whole ship is gonna blow.” Cosima uttered, knowing what that meant she would have to do.

 

“How?”

 

“I got to go out there. Open it from the outside. I open the door, I get clear. You pull the leaver and you blow that fire into space.”

 

“You get clear?” Delphine gasped.

 

“Non, Cosima. I’m not letting you do this, it is not safe, you could die. You feel how hot it is in here, and we’re protected by abut 7 inches of heatproof glass. You’ll be burnt alive.” Tears were welling up in Delphine’s eyes.

 

But Cosima was already making her way to the passenger flight centre, quickly. The only place which she would be able to get to the outside of the ship and reach the vent to open it manually. Delphine could do nothing but follow her.

 

“You can talk to me through this.” Cosima said, handing Delphine a ear piece and putting one in her ear, so the two would be able to communicate and hear each other.

 

“What happens to you when that door opens?” Delphine said hopelessly.

 

Cosima pulled a metal door off the cupboard which she had opened to get the earpieces. “Heat shield. It might help.” She joked, knowing for well that in reality that was all she had to protect her from the thousand degree heat.

 

Cosima climbed in one of the astronaut suits

 

“You might need this.” Delphine said, handing her the helmet. Their eyes met. Cosima could see the tears welling in Delphine’s eyes. Neither of them said anything momentarily, savouring what could be one of the last looks they got with each other.

 

“It's gonna be okay. I better go.” Cosima whispered.

 

“Cosima. Cosima. Come back to me. I can't live on the ship without you.” Delphine spoke as Cosima made her way to the exit of the ship. Cosima turned and smiled sadly at Delphine, and walked out into the blackness.


	16. Only Hope

As soon as Cosima disappeared from her sight Delphine bit down her overwhelming concern and ran as fast as she could back to engineering. Cosima had quickly run her through what to do. She was ready. They would save the ship together, and everything would be okay. That’s what she kept telling herself anyway.

As soon as the door to engineering opened the wall of heat hit Delphine, every instinct in her body told her to get out and stay out, it was so so hot. She ripped off her t-shirt leaving her only in a vest, but nonetheless the hear was still overpowering.

“Warning. Temperature critical.” The ship kept blaring out.

“ _Oui, no shit Sherlock.”_ Delphine thought to herself, using a phrase she had picked up from the brunette.

She reached the lever. Getting in place for when Cosima was ready, so they could restore the normal heat and functioning of the ship as efficiently as possible. She tried to hold the lever, but it was so hot that her hand flinched away. Touching the lever felt like putting her hand on a burning pit of coals. In an attempt to make it possible to pull she wrapped her t-shirt around it. The heat still seeped through, but at least now she would be able to grip the handle long enough to pull it on Cosima’s command.

“How are you doing Cosima?” Delphine asked through the intercom, worried as she hadn’t heard a sound yet.

“Everything is a’okay so far. Just making my way to the vent.” Cosima replied, her voice came through loud in Delphine’s ear, comforting her.

Suddenly the huge fireball inside the reactor exploded, shooting against the protective glass window, slamming an even hotter wave of air at Delphine.

“Temperature critical.” The ship exclaimed.

As the fireball hit the glass it dislodged a screw from the wall. The screw shot at lightning speed straight towards Delphine, and lodged itself in her upper left arm.

“AHHHH! MERDE!” Delphine shouted, a bullet of pain shooting through her. It was the worst pain she had ever felt in her life. Like someone had stuck a red hot poker through her arm. The screw was stuck, sticking out her arm, a trail of blood quickly forming down her arm. She staggered and fell back against the control system, gradually sliding her way down so that she was sat, on the floor, leaning against the system. Delphine reached to and firmly gribbed the screw, and pulled with all her might, removing it from her arm.

“MERDE. MERDE. MERDE. Fils de pute!” Delphine cursed, the pain searing down her arm. She then ripped a part of her t-shirt and tightly wrapped it around where the screw had been, in an attempt to stop the bleading.

“What's wrong? What's the matter? Are you okay?” Cosima asked, worry filling her voice, in response to Delphine’s shouts.

“Nothing. Go.” Delphine said, a steadiness to her voice that shocked her.

“You sure?”

“Go.”

A minute or so later Coima’s voice came through the intercom again, “I'm at the vent tube. New anchor point. Reset tether. I see the door.”

“Temperature level rising. Warning. Temperature critical. Containment unstable.” The computer repeated, the message getting louder each time.

“Where are you?” Delphine replied, panicked.

“I'm at the door.”

“I'm ready. Just say when.”

“Here goes.” Cosima said.

“Fuck. The door won't open. I'll have to bypass it.”

“Temperature level rising.” The ship repeated, each repeat sending Delphine’s heart racing even faster.

“Cosima, come on! Please hurry!” Delphine pleaded.

“Okay, I'm trying it again.”

“Tell me when you're clear.” Delphine spoke, her hand hovering above the lever, reading to pull on Cosima’s command.

“No!” Cosima gasped, hopelessness filling her tone.

“What? What’s going on? Cosima? Cosima!” Delphine panicked.

“The door won't stay open. I think I have to stay here. Hold the door open.” Cosima responded quietly.

“What? No! No way! Get out of there!”

“I can't.”

“Cosima.”

“We're out of time.” Cosima replied sternly, clear her mind had been maid.

“Containment unstable.” The ship blared at Delphine

“Cosima?”

“Vent the reactor.” Cosima commanded, no hesitation in her voice.

“Non! You don't understand! If I open the door right now, it'll kill you!” Delphine uttered back, her eyes watering.

“I'm hoping not.”

“Come back in. We'll think of something else.” Delphine pleaded.

“There is nothing else.”

“Cosima!”

“It's okay.” Cosima reassured Delphine.

“No! It's not okay!” Delphine said, tears now pouring down her face.

“Delphine… you have to do it.”

“Warning. Temperature level exceeded.” The ship shouted.

“This isn't what you said was gonna happen!” Delphine cried.

“Delphine, this ship is gonna go.”

“I don't care! You die, I die.” Delphine said, a finality to her voice, tears falling down her cheeks.

“There are 5,000 other people on this ship, Delphine. We have to do this.”

“Maximum pressure reached.”

“Do it. Now.”

“Maximum cabin pressure reached.”

Delphine moved her hand down, and gripped the leaver. She counted to three, and pulled. Tears streaming down her face, she could have just killed the love of her life. If she could see Cosima, she would have seen her tears were echoed, similarly streaming down the brunettes face.

“Je t’aime, Cosima.” Delphine whispered as she pulled the leaver.

“Temperature dropping.”

“Cosima.”

“Cosima?” All Delphine could heat was roaroing and static coming through the earpiece, louder and louder the static came through but no hint of Cosima’s voice.

“Vent successful. Rebooting process initiated.” The ship announced.

“Cosima, please say something.” Delphine cried.

“Suit pressure dropping.”

“Delphine?” Delphine heard, extremely quiet over the loud static. Cosima was alive. Everything had worked.

“It worked!” Cosima shoted, unable to contain her joy.

“You did it! You can come in!” Delphine responded, a smile she was unable to contain breaking out upon her mouth.

“Yeah, about that.” Cosima replied.

“What's the matter? Are you hurt?”

“I got blown out of the tube.” She said quietly.

“What?”

“My tether broke. I can't get back to the ship.” Cosima said calmly, even though as she was speaking she was floating further and further away from the ship, from Delphine, and her oxygen reserves were slowly dwindling.

“I'll come out. I'll come out. I'll pull you in.” Delphine responded, already running to the suit station.

“Warning. Oxygen level critical. Return to ship immediately.” Was all Delphine heard, it was Cosima’s suit warning system, along with Cosima’s breathing turning raspy, her breaths become shorter and shorter, like she was suffocating.

“Delphine, I'm sorry. For everything.” Cosima chocked out.

“Shut up. I'm coming.” Delphine commanded, tears again streaming down her face. The thought of losing Cosima now seemed the worst thing imaginable. Although a few days ago the thought of being alone with just Cosima for the rest of her life stuck on the ship seemed like the worst thing imaginable, now It was everything Delphine could ever want and more.

“I wish we'd have met in 90 years. I'd have built you a house. I'd have read your book. It's gonna be great.” Cosima uttered between hangered breaths.

“Tether attached.” Delphine’s suit said, as she stepped out of the ship into space.

“Locate Cosima Niehaus.”

“Cosima Niehaus located.” Her suit replied. Delphine saw her. Cosima was a speck of light in the distance. Her suit illuminating the space around her. She was almost as small as the stars that specked Delphine’s view.

“I'm coming to get you. Cosima!” Delphine shouted, unsure weather Cosima was still conscious to hear her.

Delphine lept into space. She put her suit thrusters on full power, pushing her as fast as she could go towards Cosima. Cosima got bigger and bigger. But just as Delphine was almost within touching distance her tether pulled her back.

“Maximum distance from ship has been reached. Please return to ship.” Delphine’s suit said.

“NO! Cosima!” Delphine shouted in rage.

But then she saw it. Cosima’s tether was swinging back and forth, and it was about to be within Delphine’s reaching distance. If she could grab hold of it, she would be able to pull Cosima back to the ship with her.

The tether swang up-wards.

Delphine reached.

She opened her hand.

And then closed it.

Her fingers wrapped around the cool metal tether. And she gripped it with all her might.

Delphine sped back to the ship as fast as possible, towing Cosima along with her.

Delphine lugged Cosima onto the ship. Dragging her into the suit room, and pulling off her helmet. Cosima was deathly pale. Delphine couldn’t make out if she was breathing or not. Delphine quickly took of her own suit, and picked Cosima up, carrying her to the medical centre at a run. Cosima was so cold, so pale.

She lay Cosima onto the medical dock. She had to be alive. Tears streamed down Delphine’s face.

“I'm sorry. The patient is dead.” The medical dock announced. Delphine didn’t believe her ears.

“Well, resuscitate her!” She shouted.

“Postmortem operations require authorized medical supervision.”

“No.”

“Cosima.” Delphine shouted. She put her head up against Cosima’s urging her to wake up. Then she remembered. She still had Mrs S’s wristband. Siobhan had overridden the medical dock, that meant that Delphine could now.

“Override!” Delphine bellowed.

“Override on my authority! ID 1-7... Two...”

“Two. Two.” Fuck, she couldn’t remember Siobhan’s ID number. She needed it otherwise the wristband would be useless. She wracked her brain, trying to remember exactly what Siobhan had said.

“2-3-1-7.”

“2-3-1-7!”

“ID 2-3-1-7!” Delphine shouted triumphantly.

Delphine lent forward looking at the screen. She selected resuscitation. There were so many different options, and she highlighted them on. Cosima was not dying on her. Not after she woke her up. And not now she realised just how much she loved and needed the brunette.

“Multiple procedures are not recommended.” The medical dock spoke.

“Override! Do it now!” Delphine commanded.

“Executing.” The machine spoke, as electricity pads came shooting out and pressed on Cosima’s body. Waves of electricity were sent through Cosima’s body shooting her chest upwards. An oxygen mask was fitted to her mouth. Multiple needles were inserted into her arm, injected multiple different coloured liquids.

Delphine watched, in suspense, waiting to see if Cosima would wake up.


	17. Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is essentially the final chapter, I hope you all have enjoyed! Thank you so much for reading!  
> I have two song recommendations for these final two chapters, that i think fit it perfectly.  
> 1 - Part of Me by Joel Leggett  
> 2 - All Again by Marcus Alexander

She stared and stared at Cosima, not daring to blink in case she missed Cosima’s eyes flickering open. Time dragged on, it felt like she’d been watching forever. Time seemed to stop. It felt to Delphine like hours, but it reality only a few seconds had passed since the machine had resuscitated Cosima.

Then, as she watched, Delphine saw Cosima’s eyelids wince. And then the brunettes eye’s were open. Hazel eyes stared at her. Cosima’s chest was again gently moving up and down, drawing breath into her body.

She was alive.

Cosima was alive.

“Hi!” Cosima whispered, her voice croakey.

Tears started pouring around Delphine’s face.

“Cosima! Hey, Cosima.” Delphine soothed. She lent down running her hand along the brunettes now warm cheek. Unable to believe she was alive.

“You brought me back.”

“Yeah.”

After a pause Cosima uttered ,“thank you.” She moved her arm up, cupping Delphine’s cheek, and wiped away her the trail of her tears.

“Be still.” Delphine sighed, content. She didn’t want the brunette to exert too much of her energy, she needed as much as possible for her recovery. Cosima went to speak again, but Delphine shushed her, climbing into the medical dock, and drawing the brunettes body close to hers, in comfort.

The two lay next to each other, neither moving. Both savouring in the others closeness. Taking in the rise and fall of each others chest, the warmth of their bodies, the ease with which their bodies went together, like two pieces of the same puzzle.

Delphine slowly drifted off. The adrenaline in her system had finally worn out, and she was beginning to feel overwhelmingly tired. Her eyelids were growing heavy, opening her eyes after each blink requiring more and more effort.

“I love you too.” Cosima murmured, waking Delphine from her trance. Delphine smiled into Cosima’s hair, stroking her dreadlocks, and whispered soothing words of love into her ear.

 

\-------

 

Cosima’s recovery was surprisingly fast. Within a week she was back to her normal energetic self, bounding around and joking with Delphine constantly. Both women were blissfully happy. Living in an accidental happiness. Their love rekindled instantaiously, and was stronger than it had been before. Cosima now free to be completely open, now that Delphine knew Cosima’s most terrible secret.

One afternoon, after a lazy morning intwined in each others arms, Cosima dragged Delphine out of bed, pulling her along around the ship.

“Quoiiii…” Delphine moaned, reluctant to move from the warmth of the bed.

“There's something I have to show you.”

They finally stopped when they reached the medical centre, where a week earlier Cosima had almost died. Cosima pointed to the medical dock that she’d beed lying in. It brought back haunting memories for both women. The pang of fear Delphine felt when she thought she’d lost Cosima forever resurfacing.

“In command mode, it turns out the Autodoc has an option called Stabilize and Suspend. It stops all metabolic activity.” Cosima announced.

“What are you saying?” Delphine questioned.

“With Siobhan’s ID, it can be like hibernation inside the Autodoc. You can go back to sleep. Wake up when you’re meant to, with all the other passangers.” Cosima stated.

“But there's only one Autodoc.”

“Yeah. And you're gonna lay down in it and fall asleep. And you'll wake up on Homestead II. And you'll write your book. You'd finish your journey. You'd do what you set out to do.”

“You'd be alone.” Delphine stated, shock in her voice.

“I've been alone before. And I'll be fine.”

“But I would never see you again.”

Both women stood in silence, staring at each other, each certain that they were right about what should be done. Delphine stepped towards Cosima. Then she stepped again. She could feel the brunette’s breath on her chin, sending goose bumps down her body. Delphine reached out, and grabbed Cosima’s hand, intertwining their hands. She lent her head forward, and pressed her forehead against the brunettes. She lifted her hand that wasn’t entwined with Cosima’s and dragged it along the brunette’s cheek. Stopping when she got to her bottom lip. She ran her thumb along Cosima’s bottom lip, pulling it slightly. Cosima moaned in desire, pushing her body towards Delphine’s making contact. Delphine then moved, to replace her thumb on Cosima’s lip with her own mouth. Their tongues danced in a passionate embrace.

“Non Cosima. Let’s go to back bed mon amour.” Delphine muttered into the brunette’s ear. This time Delphine dragged Cosima back to their room.

A while later, the two were again laying in bed. Cosima the little spoon, snuggled up in Delphine’s warmth.

“You are so cute ma Cherie.” Delphine whispered into Cosima’s hair, her voice raspy.

She felt Cosima chuckle in response, “Shut it Cormier, you’re the cute one,” she responded.

“Did you honestly think I was going to get in that pod and leave you alone.” Delphine questioned, smiling slightly at Cosima’s naivety.

At that Cosima turned, so that she was facing Delphine, their eyes level. A look of total seriousness crossed Cosima’s face.

“Delphine, every day I feel the disgrace of what I did to you. I woke you up, and stole you’re life. I murdered you. Left you no choice. My selfishness breaks my heart every day. So when I found out that I could return you to hibernation, and give you the life you had planned back, I knew I had to tell you, to try and persuade, because… no matter how much I would miss you, how much I want you to stay, how badly I crave you’re presence, even when you’re right next to me, it was only right, you deserve your life back. Even though I would miss you every day, id still have you in my memory, and that would be enough, because I know you would be happy, and living the life you’ve always dreamed of.”

“Oh Cosima,” Delphine uttered, completely taken aback by the brunettes sincerity.

“Being with you is more than I could have ever whished for. One minute with you gives me more happiness than an eternity of the life I had planned. Je t’aime. I love you more than I thought it was possible to love anyone. When I met you… everything… well everything started to make sense. All the love songs, poems, books and films that plagued me with storied of love finally started to make sense. I understand now what the poets and songwriters are talking about. Before you I didn’t have that, but now I do. Cosima. For me a life without you isn’t worth living. I hope you know that.”

Delphine leant forward, pressing her lips against Cosima’s. Then moving to kiss the salty trail of tears down her cheek. She moved down, kissing every possible inch of Cosima’s body like it was the holy grail.

 

\--------

“Tuesday is my day with Scotty.” Cosima announced as she walked into the bar, to see Delphine already sat at the bar.

Delphine turned upon hearing the brunettes voice. Seeing Cosima’s cheeky grin, one of her favourite expressions.

“Mon Dieu, she’s late again Scott.” Delphine joked.

“Kinda always late, kinda always sorry.” Cosima retorted, sticking her tongue out at Delphine and Scott.

“Lovely as ever.” Scott commented about both of them.

“Thank you, Scott.” Delphine chimed.

Cosima took a seat at the bar, and ordered two glasses of champagne from Scott. The three sat having jovial banter. A comfortable silence settled over the trio.

Cosima reached into her jacket pocket. She pulled out a small, purple velvet bag, and slid it along the bar so that it was in front of Delphine.

“What's that?” Delphine questioned.

“Something I've wanted to give you for a long time.” Cosima replied.

Delphine slowly opened the bag, revealing a platinum engagement ring.

“It's beautiful.” Delphine said stunned, a huge smile breaking out across her face.

“Took you long enough to ask.” Delphine joked, as she leant across to Cosima and took her face into her hands, planting a kiss on her lips. The kiss deepened, only stopped by an awkward murmur from Scott.  

“Such a party pooper Scott.” Cosima laughed.

“Hell of a life.” Delphine chuckled.

“Hell of a life.” Cosima repeated, staring into the galaxy that was Delphine’s eyes.


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it!  
> Thank you so so so much to everyone who has read, commented and/or left kudos. Hearing you're opinions and reactions had encouraged me to continue and made writing this so enjoyable. I hope you've all enjoyed it. It's been one hell of a trip.  
> Je t'aime.   
> :) xx

_\------- 90 years later. --------_

“Wake-up process initiated.” The ship chimed, as every pod in the ship began the passenger wake up procedure.

As the crew and passengers woke up, and started wondering about the ship, they were greeted, not by the pristine white modern ship they were expecting. But with an altered ship, shaped by the happy 80 years Cosima and Delphine had lived their. To say a few adjustments had been made to the ship was an understatement.  The main lobby was filled with tree after tree, a man-made broke dancing between the tree’s. Chicken’s wondered around the main lobby, living in a chicken hut tailored by Cosima and Delphine in one of their many afternoon’s together. Blooming plants scattered the corridors of the ship. A copy of each of Delphine’s books could be found in every suite on the ship, a surprise Cosima had arranged for Delphine’s 55th birthday. As the passengers wondered around for the first time Cosima’s voice broke out across the intercom, playing a recorded message.

“My fellow passengers,

if you're hearing this,

then the Starship Avalon has reached its destination.

A lot happened while you slept.

A friend once said,

‘You can't get so hung up on where you'd rather be

that you forget to make the most of where you are.’

We got lost along the way.

But we found each other.

And we made a life.

A beautiful life.

Together.”


End file.
